Maytinee Kramer/Staff Writer
DC’s movie, “Suicide Squad,” is the biggest event in pop culture of 2016. Since Harley Quinn first appeared as the Joker’s sidekick in “Batman: The Animated Series,” she has taken the superhero world by storm with her bright personality and penchant for crime. However, her obsession with the Joker, which has been just as fundamental to her character as her signature black and red color scheme, complicates things. Harley Quinn’s story is relentlessly tied to relationship abuse and mental illness, which makes her a textbook example of a victim to emotional manipulation ― a hallmark of abusive relationships.
As her background story goes, Harleen Quinzel, a gymnast and psychiatry student working in Arkham Asylum, volunteered to analyze the Joker in a number of one-on-one sessions meant to help rehabilitate him. Over the course of their time together, however, Quinzel finds herself charmed by the Joker and swayed by his story of being a misunderstood outcast. Quinzel eventually becomes sympathetic to the Joker’s causes, decides to break him out of the asylum, then joins in his life of crime as the newly minted Harley Quinn.
Throughout her life of crime and murder, Harley, blinded by love, would follow the Joker into danger only to have him risk her life or even go so far as to physically hurt her. Harley’s devotion to the Clown Prince of Crime was once thought to be built from both character’s mental instability, but as Harley’s popularity as an individual character grew, many began exploring the idea that perhaps she was struggling with a toxic relationship.
Unlike other super villains, Harley Quinn has a bright, outgoing personality and isn’t too shy to start casual conversation. With the extra hype from “Suicide Squad,” many see Harley as sexy and confident, but are also celebrating the abusive romance that is a central part of her story. Harley acts like many victims of domestic abuse, but she shrugs it off because the Joker “loves her.” She insists that he’s not trying to hurt her or that he wasn’t being mean ― he just gets angry sometimes.
Many people, especially females, are fawning over Harley Quinn and the Joker’s relationship, even going as far to say that the point of their relationship is to be unstable and abusive.
“Suicide Squad” is just a movie, but many of the Joker’s abusive tactics are real ways that people abuse their partners in a relationship without even knowing it.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, approximately 7 million women in the U.S. are assaulted or raped by a current or former partner each year. An average of three women are killed by a current or former partner every day. A recent survey conducted by Knowledge Networks found that 43 percent of college women and 28 percent of men reported experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors in a relationship. In the same study, 57 percent of college students reported having a difficult time being able to tell what constitutes dating abuse.
Signs of an abusive relationship may include controlling behavior such as one partner checking the other’s cell phone, having to know where the other person is at all times, constantly “checking in” or creating problems if the other person wants to visit family or friends. Some indicators of emotional abuse are if one partner is constantly putting their partner down or degrading their opinions, placing the blame on them for something that goes wrong in their own life, regularly pointing out their flaws and bringing up events from their past to make them feel guilty.
“Love is a very powerful thing, and abusive relationships are very complex,” Justin Santoli, an FIU senior majoring in elementary education and also a Lead Peer Educator at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center said to FIU Student Media.
According to Santoli, Harley Quinn does genuinely love the Joker and he’s convinced her that he loves her too.
“[D]epending on which version of him you’re reading/watching, Harley is always brushing off the abuse as the Joker loving her.”
Yet, both men and women have a warped idea of Harley and Joker’s relationship that is far removed from how toxic it really is.
“There’s something about angsty, dark romances that are appealing to people. And I think they see how dedicated Harley is to the Joker and how in love she perceives them to be. The relationship, especially in Suicide Squad, has been twisted into this great, dark love story.” Santoli said.
Often enough, behaviors that are serious red flags for abuse are seen as “romantic” or “loving.” Media reinforces the idea that obsessive love and subtle controlling behaviors are something people should look for in a relationship.
Despite the famed image Harley Quinn and the Joker keep up, their relationship is not how a relationship should work. No one should ever feel the need to excuse the actions of their partner. One should never feel used or worthless because of the treatment they are receiving and should never have to hide anything from their partner or because of their partner.
FIU is aware of and understands the dangers of abusive relationships. In order to keep the student body safe and help them understand these dangers, the University offers a program known as The Victim Empowerment Program, which is located in the Counseling and Psychological Services center.
According to Sandra Burr, an FIU senior also majoring in elementary education and a fellow Peer Educator at the Counseling and Psychological Services Center, “a person’s risk of endangerment from their abuser can go up as high as 70 percent after leaving the abusive relationship.”
Therefore, it’s important that Panthers become aware of the red flags and take proper action. In Harley’s situation, Santoli notes that Harley does eventually leave the Joker in the more recent comics.
“There are some really great scenes out there where she does [leave him], and also where she talks about what he did to her,” Santoli said.
Harley eventually takes a stand against her abuser, and hopefully this can motivate others who find themselves in an abusive relationship to do the same.
With all the news surrounding the Joker and Harley, women who relate to their relationship are now realizing their relationship is unhealthy and unsafe. It would be even more helpful, if American media would treat women as fully fledged individuals who exist independently of their romantic relationships. The more we’re able to pinpoint the differences between who a woman is and what kind of partner she falls for, the more accurate and honest our depictions of abusive relationships will be. Needless to say, Harley Quinn and the Joker are not #relationshipgoals.
DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of FIU Student Media Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.
Image retrieved from Flickr.