I Love Verticals

The Real-World Risks of Abusive Verticals: Desensitization, Teen Impact, and What Needs to Change

posted on August 13
The Real-World Risks of Abusive Verticals: Desensitization, Teen Impact, and What Needs to Change

TL;DR

Stories shape norms. When violent or degrading behavior is packaged as “romance,” younger viewers can become desensitized, more accepting of harm, and less likely to recognize red flags in real life. The data backs this up—and so does common sense.

What the research says (and why it matters)

Desensitization is real. Longitudinal research shows that early exposure to violence can blunt emotional responses and predict later aggressive behavior. Adolescents exposed to high levels of violence at age 11 showed emotional desensitization by age 13 and more serious violence by age 18. PMC

Media depictions can shift attitudes. Reviews and meta-analyses link violent or degrading media with greater acceptance of domestic/sexual violence myths—especially among young men. PMC  SpringerLink

Teen dating violence is widespread. In U.S. surveys, about 1 in 12 high school students report physical dating violence and about 1 in 10 report sexual dating violence in the past year. Female students and LGBTQ+ students are at higher risk. CDC

Globally, violence against women is endemic. Nearly 1 in 3 women worldwide experience physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime—context that makes normalization in entertainment even more troubling. Among girls who have been in a relationship, 24% experience intimate partner violence by age 20. Organisation mondiale de la santé

Abuse now extends to screens in our pockets. Studies estimate 50–75% of adolescents have encountered digital dating abuse (monitoring, threats, coercion) in relationships—making normalization of controlling behaviors in media especially risky. news.asu.edu

“But Verticals are fiction.” True—and still powerful.

Fiction teaches emotional scripts: what love “should” feel like, how partners “prove” devotion, what “jealousy” means. When slapping, coercion, stalking, humiliation, or forced intimacy are framed as passion or destiny, three things happen:

  1. Desensitization: repeated exposure dulls our alarm bells. PMC  APA

  2. Norm shifting: aggressive behaviors seem more acceptable, even romantic. PMC

  3. Mislearning: teens—heavy media users—absorb harmful myths faster. (U.S. teens average >7 hours/day of screen time.) Exploding Topics

Add the evidence that repeated exposure to romanticized harmful dynamics (e.g., in popular franchises) can distort relationship expectations, and we have a recipe for real-world confusion about consent, control, and respect. Smith Scholarworks

The red flags most often glamorized

  • Jealousy as proof of love (monitoring phones, isolating friends).

  • “Fixing” someone through suffering (enduring abuse to redeem a partner).

  • Sex as obligation (coercion reframed as romance).

  • Punishment as intimacy (slaps, forced kisses, threats, drugging).

These are not spicy tropes. They are risk factors for harm—and they mirror what young people report experiencing. CDC  news.asu.edu

What creators and platforms can do (concretely)

  • Reframe tropes: keep drama, lose degradation; show consequences for abuse.

  • Model consent & repair: verbal consent, apologies with changed behavior, boundaries respected.

  • Use content advisories: clear triggers (assault, coercion, DV).

  • Elevate healthy leads: “green-flag” partners are compelling—and popular.

  • Consult advocates: partner with IPV experts when scripts include harm.

  • Train casts/crews: intimacy coordination and safe-set protocols.

What fans (and FanTalks) can do

  • Vote with views: skip shows that glamorize abuse.

  • Call in, not out: ask for content warnings, nuanced writing, and accountability.

  • Share resources: link local hotlines and education in captions.

  • Spotlight positive examples: reward the series that deliver tension without trauma.

Bottom line

Verticals are a blast when they deliver swoon, stakes, and catharsis. But abusive “romance” isn’t edgy; it’s a public-health problem hiding in plain sight. Normalization in fiction can blur lines for the youngest viewers—and the numbers tell us those lines are already too blurry. CDC  Organisation mondiale de la santé

📞 If You or Someone You Know Needs Help

International:
🌐 https://www.befrienders.org — Find suicide prevention hotlines worldwide.
🌐 https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women — Resources and info on ending violence against women.

United States:
📞 National Domestic Violence Hotline — Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788. Chat via thehotline.org (24/7, confidential).
📞 Love Is Respect (for teens & young adults) — Call 1-866-331-9474, text “LOVEIS” to 22522, or visit loveisrespect.org.

Canada:
📞 Talk4Healing (Indigenous women) — Call 1-855-554-HEAL (4325) (24/7).
📞 ShelterSafe — Visit sheltersafe.ca for a map of shelters across Canada.

UK & Ireland:
📞 National Domestic Abuse Helpline (UK) — Call 0808 2000 247 (free, 24/7).
📞 Women’s Aid (Ireland) — Call 1800 341 900 (24/7, free).

Australia:
📞 1800RESPECT — Call 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au (24/7 support).

Notes on sources used

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