to think that This Morning were utterly irresponsible to broadcast an interview with Natalie Cassidy on how and why she took back her abusive partner?

[wannaBe]

Natalie Cassidy on This Morning. abused to the extent she left and then took out a restraining order against him.

Then decided she loved him after all and took him back - he's admitted he's an alcoholic, has changed and they couldn't be happier.

The whole interview was all about justification, how it was because she was wound up about his drinking, how he drank and it made him do it, how he has now changed.

I vented my anger over it elsewhere and on twitter, but tbh I think that Natalie Cassidy, while very naive IMO, is free to make whatever decisions she sees fit.

However, I think This Morning were totally irresponsible to give it any kind of airtime.

There was no counter view. No-one to say that statistically it is highly unlikely that NC's partner has changed, that once an abuser, always an abuser...

Lots of vulnerable women will have been watching. Many may well believe that if NC's partner could change, perhaps theirs can too. And perhaps they will go back into dangerous situations because of it
.
This Morning does not only have a responsibility to the stars it broadcasts, it has a responsibility to its viewers, and that responsibility IMO extends to not glamorising domestic abuse and helping to perpetuate the myth that abusers can change.

cory I clearly remember This Morning claiming that "the crime was really their (the victim's) fault and not the perpetrator's because they were out on the street" when Eamonn Holmes had a go at a rape victim for not getting a taxi hime.

Unfortunately this programme has previous form for sensationalist viewing for audience numbers at the expense of unbiased journalism and social responsibility.

I think most people in the Uk really NC has shit for brains so I'm not sure it's going to make anyone do what she does

[tries to imagine what sort of person sees NC as an aspirational figure. Fails]

However, they ABU just to give her any air time. Who is she anyway?

It isn't about thinking she is an aspirational figure, it is about someone in a desperate postition, with fuck all self esteem desperate to feel justification for staying with the person who treats them like shit.

hazey hits the nail on the head.

I agree with Hazey but I also think most people who watched it saw it as that.

Just watched in interview on youtube.

" I dropped the restraining order because it was just easier."

"He didn't beat me black and blue"

"It was the drink"

"I wound him up"

"It's all over now"

Jesus wept

Complaint made to Ofcom, thanks for the heads up.

That's horrendous seanbonbon. All those excuses sound so familiar to me. I'm torn between wanting to shake her and feeling so sad for her that I want to give her a big hug. I think it was highly irresponsible of ITV to show an interview with someone who is clearly so deeply in denial about the state of her relationship. This is a situation in which she could end up dead. Mind you, as someone else said, ITV saw fit to broadcast an interview with a clearly pissed unwell Kerry Katona a few years back so they have form for this sort of thing. Disgraceful.

The thing is watching it you know she knows

I thought that too, noddyholder. The body language was sad and defensive.

RealLife - I doubt that "most people in the UK realise that NC has shit for brains", tbh. Those who despise soaps, despise actors, despise D list celebs - yes. There are an awful lot of people who don't (or those ghastly magazines wouldn't sell so well!) - and there are an awful lot of women in just such a situation who would look at NC and think "hey, it worked for her, it could work for me if only I work harder at it". And anyway, intelligence has nothing to do with it.

I have also been in a, thankfully shortlived!, abusive relationship and I was utterly horrified at the sort of bollocks I used to come out with while I was in it, justifying all his worst behaviours. It's amazing the mental gymnastics we are capable of when we're trying not to see the truth. Before it, I never would have imagined I could have got myself into that position, and never in a million years accepted that I would be so easy to "fool" - but I was. Intelligence is no barrier to this sort of situation.

Yeah, you're probably right. I do question why This Morning decided to show it. Just not sure that it's a broadcasting standards issue IYSWIM.

I just find it so hard to understand why people whore themselves to the media like this so that the bones of their train crash lives can be picked over- I mean I know the answer- money- but it still makes me despair.

and drama, i think it is an addiction.

I kept waiting for Denise to appear and talk about the dangers of returning to an abusive partner

All I have to say on this thread is, blimey is Denise still on TM?

I haven't watched it for about 10 years - surely she must be about 142 by now?

I agree with what Hazy said as well. Although hopefully, now all eyes are on them, and she has publicly said 'if it happens again then that's it' she will be more likely to stand by that and will not feel that she can go on covering up and making excuses for him for years and years if he does it again.

Anyway, given that she has made her decision and he seems to be getting help for his drinking and anger management I wish her well and hope that she gets what she needs/deserves from this relationship. And I wish for her the strength and confidence to recognise when she isn't getting it.

"All the work that they do to keep women safe and she comes on TV and says 'oh its my fault'"

The victim does believe it's their fault, and she's talking as you would expect. She genuinely doubts herself and obviously can't think straight at all...becuse she's still in it. The abuse has made her that way.

Yes, ITV have failed here - and I suspect they didn't do their homework on the subject beforehand at all. I just think they're a bit thick and have a habit of wading in on sensitive subject matter without seeking proper advice and doing the research.

Spot on Animation

NC is still confused as to what she's going to do if it all goes tits up again. She changed her answer from "I don't want to think about it" to "I thought about it only yesterday in case you asked me" to "if it ever happens again of course that's it" to "if he does X then maybe we;ll be able to work through it".
She hasn't a clue if she's on her head or her feet, has she really.

I did think Philip Schofield made a very mild attempt to poke her, you know, make her think about it - but it was obviously a "kid gloves" thing so it didn't make much impact.

'The Wright Stuff will be discussing taking back a violent partner tomorrow morning with Leslie Ash on the guest panel'

Leslie Ash is not there, I'm positive they said she was the guest yesterday - it's Adele Silva from Emmerdale - I wonder if Matthew will mention why? Have a feeling it's to do with the subject matter.........

Hmmm not discussing DV as advertised yesterday - I wonder why?

"Although hopefully, now all eyes are on them, and she has publicly said 'if it happens again then that's it' she will be more likely to stand by that and will not feel that she can go on covering up and making excuses for him for years and years if he does it again. "

I hope so but I doubt it. Unless she really does want to leave him next time I think she will cover up even more so she isn't reminded that she said it and is then either forced to carry through with it and leave or go back on it and stay. Thumbwitch makes a good point, she sounds very confused about what she would do if he does this again. And I think that until she stops feeling confused and stops convincing herself that she is to blame and that he is ill and needs her help, she will cover up for him rather than act on her promise to leave him.

"Hmmm not discussing DV as advertised yesterday - I wonder why?"

They often do that, like when they did that thread from here earlier this month. They said it would be on one day and then postponed it to the day after instead.

You only need to look at the comments left by people on the website after the interview to realise just how damaging this interview actually was :(

Someone even suggested in the spirit of Lent we should forgive and love eachother :( :(

The other thing that worries me about this is the next time he hits her will she do anything about it for fear of losing face after such a public statement of how he has changed?

They watch MN, you know...