Dee Dee Dunleavy accused of victim blaming for telling Nigella Lawson to take a stand on domestic violence or lose sales
Less than 72 hours after Fairfax Media sacked 6PR presenter Howard Sattler for questions to Prime Minister Julia Gillard about her partner’s sexuality, the media company is facing a new furore involving a 3AW presenter’s views on domestic violence.
The comments came from 3AW’s Dee Dee Dunleavy in which she appeared to be calling for a boycott of TV presenter Nigella Lawson.
Photographs of Lawson – appearing to show her being grabbed by the throat by husband Charles Saatchi, co-owner of ad agency M&C Saatchi – appeared in the British press on Sunday.
3AW is Melbourne’s top rating radio station.
Dunleavy criticised Lawson for her reaction to the alleged attack. She posted a blog on the 3AW website this morning: “Nigella, like it or not, you’re a beacon for women from all walks of life. If you want us to buy your books and watch your shows on how to run our kitchens, then we need you to make a stand on domestic violence.”
The comment quickly drew a backlash, with critics claiming that Dunleavy was blaming the victim.
She has now issued a “clarification” saying: “I was not calling for a boycott of Nigella’s books. Clearly, I didn’t make my point well.
“We are watching for her reaction. I believe that she should file a complaint with police. Nigella Lawson is not obliged to become a domestic violence campaigner. Her safety and that of her children is paramount at the moment. But I hope that in the fullness of time she will consider doing so.
“I am mortified that anyone would think I was bullying or victimising Nigella Lawson, a woman I admire enormously.”
Dunleavy tried to explain herself on Twitter before appearing on 3AW’s morning show with Neil Mitchell where she said: “This is not victim blaming.”
Until 2011 Dunleavy co-presented the long-running Grubby and Dee Dee breakfast show on Gold 104.3. She and Peter “Grubby” Stubbs now present The Weekend Break on 3AW from noon to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
On Friday night, Fairfax fired Sattler for his comments to the PM.
Here we go again! Should Dee Dee get sacked too! The Twitterati and Facebook lynch mob are at it again but will hold them accountable? Nobody it seems. They say whatever drivel that comes into their pea brains slandering people, forcing someone to be sacked and then go home proud of their achievements for the day.
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Why why why do we always immediately criticise, question or advice the victim?
Nigella should do this; Why did Nigella tolerate it?; how could Nigella tolerate this?; – yet all the questioning, blame, criticism, advice should be for the perpetrator!
How could he do that?! Why would he hit a woman?! What on earth is he doing?! He should be arrested; and so on and so on.
Society has it totally around the wrong way. We always ask why the victim doesn’t leave, why she puts up with it; what she should do etc etc.
All our criticism and blame should be for the person perpetrating the assault. Not the victim.
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More importantly, how are clients of M&C Saatchi going to respond to the disgraceful behavior of the agency boss?
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Can we please remember that all victims have the right to privacy and support in order to deal with their domestic situations to deliver the safest outcome for themselves and their families. Nigella is no exception.
If we are to judge anyone, how about some criticism for Charles Saatchi’ appallingly brutish public display.
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Get over it people. Give her space and leave her alone to make her decisions. Don’t make this worse than it already is for her.
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@Mike. He owns a 7% stake in M&C Saatchi PLC. I would be surprised if clients would care. He hasn’t bee an director since 2004. It’s a bit of stretch to link him to the company. He’s just as connected to Saatchi and Saatchi.
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Why can’t people either offer messages of support or say nothing? I’m sick and tired of seeing so many people kick someone when they’re down behind their computer screens.
Who is this Dee Dee person (who I’ve never heard of before today) to demand Nigella do anything? How does she know Nigella hasn’t made a complaint to the police?
This awful, attention seeking woman can backtrack all she likes but we know what was said initially. She should just apologise, back down and be quiet.
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So the masses are outraged at Dee Dee’s comments! They’re OUTRAGED, I tell you! We can’t OUTRAGE the masses, now can we? The masses will seek revenge for this OUTRAGE and we must pleases the masses and reduce their OUTRAGE!
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Personally I would prefer everyone keep their own counsel and refrain from speculative or any other comment. None of the commentariat has direct knowledge of what occurred and what may previously have occurred between Nigella and her husband. I am sure Nigella has confidantes and other support. Hopefully she will be able to act in her own best interests.
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Did Dee Dee know any of the background before she chose to judge?
Apart from some pics in British tabloids, no-one has any idea of what actually took place or what either party has done, or is doing about it.
Seems that talkback radio jocks will say anything to try to keep their ageing listeners… let’s hope their audience continues to switch off to this 3rd rate journalism.
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I agree with Emma, Daniel and Peter S. My thoughts are only that she is ok. CONFECTED OUTRAGE is becoming a social pandemic and the daily doses we are served up are getting tiring.
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The last thing Ms Lawson needs now is to be told by some peering onlooker that she has to somehow justify her “role” by following someone else’s expectations of the “correct” response to domestic violence. I was in a violent relationship for seven years and the consistently reinforced view that victims of domestic violence who don’t immediately leave their partner and press charges are at fault was to me even more damaging than the violence itself. Those scars; that judgement of me as a willing, weak victim, run far deeper than any of the physical scars I carry on my body and face.
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Folks. This is an outcome of dills chasing ratings. As various incredibly talented and interesting people – i think here of mr jones and mr fitzsimons among others – have demonstrated, pursuit of commercial success can compromise even the most pure ethical motivation
Sadly politics has engaged directly with the least sophisticated marketing. Both shojld be losers.
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Hmmm,
rich man’s hand of scared looking woman’s throat – looks bad to me and I don’t buy Saatchi’s pat explanantion.
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Speak for yourself Dee Dee. You’re an idiot.
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Can someone tell me who on earth this dee dee is? And why or how is she the queen of melbourne radio (as per her twitter profile)….particularly of she’s only on air for the weekend?
I mean really…..do we in melbourne radio need a little reality check?
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Nice one dee dee. Of course you are victimising her further. You are great at examining other people’s lives when maybe you should have a good look at your history
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I have been following this “story” only because I am so gobsmacked that anyone thinks that Nigella Lawson would be following or listening to some Aussie DJ saying ANYTHING about her, idiotic or not!
AS for this storm of protest over whether she should have said this or not, really!
An irrelevant person writing irrelevant rubbish about someone who would not even notice it, having, dsare I say it, REAL problems.
Hardly think she’s canvassing the media for advice!
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