O.J. Simpson Book and TV Special
Courtesy of North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services
Statement
Contact:
Tessa Sicble
Public Education Coordinator
ND Council on Abused Women's Services/Coalition Against Sexual Assault in ND
888-255-6240 ext. 22
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Statement:
North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services
Regarding the OJ Simpson book “If I did it”
Bismarck, ND (November 17, 2006) - Twelve years ago, the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman brought the issue of domestic violence from out of the shadows and into the public spotlight. The North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services/Coalition Against Sexual Assault in ND (NDCAWS/CASAND) is extremely outraged to hear that OJ Simpson intends to release a book detailing how he could have murdered his ex-wife and her friend.
While Simpson was acquitted of their deaths in a criminal trial, he was found liable in a civil trial and ordered to pay restitution to the Brown and Goldman families. To date, Simpson has refused to comply with the court order. NDCAWS/CASAND and domestic violence advocates statewide are appalled that he is instead attempting to cash in on their gruesome murders. According to an AP article, ReganBooks refused to say what Simpson is being paid for the book but said he came to them with the idea.
Even more disturbing is the impact this selfish, arrogant act will undoubtedly have on Nicole's children — Sydney and Justin. They had to endure the grisly murder of their mother and the controversy of the trial against their father. How will they feel knowing that their father is not only profiting from their mother's murder, but he is also offering a morbid, detailed description of how he could have done it?
In North Dakota in the past twelve months nine homicides were reported. Of those nine, five were domestic violence related. Three women are murdered every day at the hand of their intimate partners. It is unconscionable to think that Simpson, ReganBooks, HarperCollins Publishers, and FOX would promote a how-to guide for killing your wife. Is their intention to teach abusers how to kill their wives?
This book has no place in our society and only causes more grief for the Brown and Goldman families and for battered women and children across the country. Our hearts go out to the families being retraumatized by this senseless act of greed.
NDCAWS urges the public to take a stand and let FOX, ReganBooks and HarperCollins know that we will not allow them to make abuse and murder acceptable in our communities. We also ask you to contact your local bookstores and FOX advertisers and ask them to remove their support fromReganBooks, HarperCollins and FOX.
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It is the mission of the North Dakota Council on Abused Women's Services/ Coalition Against Sexual Assault in North Dakota to provide leadership by facilitating local, state, and regional collaboration in the identification and prevention of domestic and sexual violence.
Talking Points
- In the past twelve months nine homicides have been reported. Of these nine, five were domestic violence related.
- Women are much more likely than men to be killed by an intimate partner. In 2000, intimate partner homicides accounted for 33.5 percent of the murders of women and less than four percent of the murders of men. (Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief, Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, February 2003)
- 8 in 10 murderers who killed a family member were male. Males were 83% of spouse murders and 75% of murderers who killed a boyfriend or girlfriend. (U.S. Department of Justice)
- Domestic violence results in nearly 2 million injuries and 1,300 deaths nationwide every year (CDC 2003)
- On average, more than three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends in this country every day. In 2000, 1,247 women were killed by an intimate partner. The same year, 440 men were killed by an intimate partner. (Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief, Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001, February 2003)
FUROR OVER FOX'S O.J. SIMPSON SPECIAL
Domestic violence experts around the country are objecting to the Fox Network's decision to air a two-night “event” later this month featuring O.J. Simpson talking about how he would have murdered his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, and her friend, Ron Goldman, “if he did it.” Family Violence Prevention Fund President Esta Soler called the programming decision “beneath contempt.”
“Disgust and revulsion are the only possible reactions,” Soler said. “Two families suffered an unspeakable loss 12 years ago, and two children lost their mother. Now those children will see their father discuss or recreate the crime for entertainment and profit. We urge Fox to reconsider its decision to air this program. Affiliates should refuse to carry it. Advertisers should refuse to support it. Viewers should refuse to watch. And no responsible person should purchase the book on which it is based.”
Violence against women is a costly and devastating problem in the U.S. On average, three women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends each day and nearly 500 females over age 12 are victims of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault.
“We must stop treating violence as entertainment and instead redouble our efforts to stop it,” Soler added. “A decade ago, a mother of two and a vital young man were brutally murdered. It's past time to stop exploiting this tragedy and instead put our energies into keeping women and children safe.”
Based on the upcoming book, O.J. Simpson: If I Did It, Here's How It Happened, the special is scheduled to air on November 27 and 29 in prime time. More information on the program is available at Fox's website. (Update: Fox has removed the page from its website.)
To register your concern, email askfox@foxinc.com or call Fox at 310/369-3553, its Viewer Comment Line at 310/369-3066, or its Entertainment President Peter Liguori at 310/369-1000.