Hit the Bitch

If there are any warnings on the site, they aren't in English. I'll say here that if you don't want to see some violence that is less graphic than Fallout 3 but much more upsetting, don't click that link.

Just barely definable as a game, Hit the Bitch is a Danish PSA website about domestic violence. I don't speak Danish but from what I can gather, you arrive home and "the bitch" hasn't cooked your dinner, went out with her girlfriends without your permission, or has committed some heinous transgression for which she must be slapped about. Of course.

You use your mouse or web-cam to hit her with your open palm, triggering video of her pleading with you as she gradually gets more bruised.

It uses the game conventions of giving you an objective (in English text - "Hit the bitch") and a score. Your score goes from "100% pussy, 0% gangsta" to "0% pussy, 100% gangsta". Then the poor woman fades away and you are told that you are "100% idiot".

Anyone that read my previous article can probably guess that I'm in favor of this kind of emotional challenge being used in games. Like in No Russian, you are controlling an asshole, and it is quite hard to play his part without hating him. Even without understanding Danish, I came away from this with more distaste for wife-beaters than anything less shocking could have given me. Whether it will deter people who might actually beat their spouses, I don't know.

Can you think of any other PSA games/websites that work like this? I'm sure PETA have some, but anything PETA does just has the effect of embarrassing vegetarians.

Edit: The site has been linked to from all over the blogosphere and is getting too much traffic. So the makers have decided to limit access to only those in Denmark. One YouTube user believes it's because they're ashamed and are trying to hide it (but only from people outside their own country - huh?) so has uploaded a video with disapproving comments over it. He's also translated some of the dialogue into English. Have a look if you're still interested.

(12)

Alejandro Quan-Madrid

November 18, 2009

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I understand that it's getting people to reflect on their emotions and views towards domestic violence and such, but where does satire cross the line and become a reinforcement or what it's trying to deter?

Rachel Jagielski

I feel the same as Alejandro, sometimes I think that PSAs like this end up achieving nothing but shock value.

Brian Shirk

I don't think it's gonna deter anyone who beats their spouse. People who usually do that were abused when they were younger, and I don't think they're going to change just from a video game. And sometimes, these fights also go both ways and aren't as simple as some people believe them to be.

Lance Darnell

Is that the "coolness" polarity nowadays? You are rather a pussy or a gangsta? I think all Gangstas are pussys!!!!

Brett Bates

This is just sad...

Dan "Shoe" Hsu

Wow... what a...find. Interesting. Yeah, sad shock value, but shock value nonetheless.

I came into this story with my banhammer ready, by the way. :) But glad to see you had a real article here.

Alex Martin

On the other hand, PSAs sometimes have to shock to be engaging. Thinking of government TV ads and posters here in Britain, the most memorable ones are quite creepy and shocking. Nothing but professional help or legal intervention is going to stop some people, and most of the rest of us wouldn't hurt a fly anyway. Maybe a few who might start to beat their partners will see how this victim reacts and will think about whether that would really make them badass.

Thanks for not banhammering me, Shoe. :) Wasn't quite sure if the title was appropriate, but it was the most obvious.

Travis McReynolds

I agree that the ad goes for shock value and achieves it, but that it also probably won't have an effect on wife/girlfriend beaters. As Brett mentioned, this is a deep-seated emotional problem.
But Alex has a great point as well. Shocking PSAs definitely have a better effect than the corny bullshit of yesteryear. For instance, anyone else have to go through DARE?

@Travis, I remember being in elementary and watching a video of a hand puppet McGruff singing a ballad to us of "Just Say Noooooooo." It wasn't that effective, but we all at least had a good laugh.

Demian Linn

November 19, 2009

And now the website says:

"Dear non-danish visitor,

Due to an extremely high amount of traffic "Hit the Bitch" has been limited to only allow users from Denmark.

However, domestic violence is a global problem, so please support the fight against it in your local country.

Thanks for your interest.

Kind regards
Children exposed to Violence at Home"

Thanks, Demian. Video link added for anyone coming in late from outside of Denmark.

WHAT THE HECK IS A BITMOB?