Victim Blaming Is Still Rife Online – That Needs To Change

Instagram / @zaramcdermott

Reality star Zara McDermott has spoken out about her troubling experience on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023.

It was reported this week that professional dancer Graziano Di Prima will not return to the series after an internal investigation. It is reported that Di Prima was allegedly physically and verbally abusive to his dance partner, Zara.

BBC bosses reviewed footage of Di Prima being abusive towards McDermott last week and acted quickly. According to The Sun, a source revealed, “The footage has reduced those who have seen it to tears.”

The complaint reportedly came from a production team member, and Zara is engaging in the investigation and “has sought out legal representation.” Gross Misconduct was the official reason for Graziano Di Prima’s termination. It is alleged that Graziano hit, spat and kicked Zara. 

 

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A post shared by Zara McDermott (@zara_mcdermott)

Three days ago, Di Prima released a statement on Instagram.

“I deeply regret the events that led to my departure from Strictly. My intense passion and determination to win might have affected my training regime…” he said, “When the time is right, I will share my story.”

This morning (July 16), Zara shared her own statement on her Instagram story.

“…So much of my Strictly experience was everything I could have dreamt of. The entire production team and everyone behind the scenes as well as my fellow contestants were so amazing to work with,” she said.

“However, my experience inside the training room was very different. Reports have been made about my treatment on the show, and there were witnesses to some events, as well as videos of particular incidents which are incredibly distressing to watch. 

“The culture within our society makes it difficult for people to speak up, especially in a a world where social media opinions and voices are so loud. This is something I’ve seen through working with countless women on my documentaries.”

Zara said she was afraid to open up because of public backlash, victim shaming and her future. This kind of shaming is still highly prevalent (as shown in many of Zara’s recent comments), and social media hasn’t helped this; people will mindlessly take sides without facts or make judgments based solely on the personal opinions of said person.

Instead of victim shaming or contributing to public scrutiny, we need to think for ourselves and stop commenting on serious situations on impulse. The last thing a victim needs is people disregarding their experience.

The BBC claims they will be widening their investigation to “look into the treatment of other dancers,” and Zara has said she is grateful for their swift action. 

Using “intense passion and determination” as a reason for a strict training regime is not an excuse. The lack of accountability needs to be addressed.

The BBC needs to implement safety measures, have regular check-ins with all parties involved and allow individuals to have a chaperone, especially in private rehearsals.

And social media users need to think before they comment… especially when it comes to such sensitive matters.

Words by EmilyRose Nulty

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• Zara McDermott