Does Pro-Wrestling on TV Cause Violence in Children?

Introduction: Pro-Wrestling's Popularity and Violence

Professional wrestling is one of the most popular sports in America today, and watching only one or two bouts makes it clear that it is an extremely violent sport. One writer describes the current massive popularity of pro-wrestling this way: "America's latest cultural obsession lies in the wrestling ring, where the likes of Sting, Triple H, and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin have become testosterone-amped heroes for the young and old alike" (Billups 2). The entire sport is built upon the centuries-old theme of "good vs. evil," somewhat like a medieval jousting tournament, filled with the pomp and ceremony of a Roman gladiator contest before each match. This buildup leads to the match itself, which contains enough violence to satisfy even the most devoted fan of physical combat.

Many media experts have compared the matches to carefully choreographed soap operas, with everyone understanding the eventual outcome but still needing to watch what happens. Jim Twitchell, a university professor and author, notes: "The genre is soap opera, and they have these little crescendo stories leading up to a climax of violence" (Billups 2). If the genre is soap opera, the medium is violence. Professional wrestlers taunt each other with sexual innuendo, break chairs over each other's backs, and throw their opponents headfirst into the mat or completely out of the ring. These men and women are entirely absorbed in causing bodily harm to their opponent, and this appetite for violence radiates outward to the audience.

The many fans of pro-wrestling do not think the violence is out of control. Doug Martin, a longtime fan, says there is a "constant search for new subcultures to enliven our entertainment diet. Wrestling fills that void nicely, and its broad appeal is not unlike the intense popularity of NASCAR" (Billups 2). Fans also acknowledge that the moves are choreographed — and say that is precisely part of the appeal. "That's just the point, wrestling fans say. They love the grunting moves and choreography for the same reason: everyone knows they're orchestrated" (Butters 8). People tend to see the bouts as elaborate play-acting rather than real life, and so, in their view, the matches do not lead to more aggressive behavior — if anything, they lead to more time spent watching another World Wrestling Federation (WWF) sponsored event.

Nevertheless, it is easy to observe that the audience at professional wrestling events is predominantly young and quite aggressive, even in the stands. Fans may love the pageantry of the event, but they also consume the sexuality and violence that each match offers. The wrestlers clearly enjoy creating havoc in the ring, and the fans come out expressly to watch it. The matches may be soap opera and fantasy for some, but for many young viewers, the wrestlers are role models they wish to emulate in their own lives.

The Audience: Young Fans and Role Models

It is a well-documented fact that professional wrestling attracts a predominantly young, male audience. Jim Twitchell wrote that the advent of cable television helped bring wrestling to the masses and helped create an even younger audience:

"Still, it was not until the advent of cable television that an adolescent audience could be assembled. The audience which attends the bouts is not at all the audience which watches at home. The standard joke among wrestlers used to be: 'What has 14 teeth and an IQ of 50? Answer: The first 10 rows at a wrestling match.' The home audience, however, is every advertising man's dream — predominantly males between twelve and sixty years old. Little wonder that ESPN, the male network nonpareil, has taken to broadcasting its own brand of wrestling under the rubric of a sporting event" (Twitchell 250).

Another writer notes, "Dave Meltzer, who operates the 'Wrestling Observer Newsletter,' says 30% of wrestling's audience is between the ages of 12 and 18" (Butters 8). Clearly, wrestling attracts young adult males as a core part of its audience, and the role models they watch on television easily influence these young viewers.

Many experts in both media studies and violent behavior believe that continued viewing of violence in televised wrestling matches is a major concern — one that can adversely affect children, causing them to behave more violently toward each other and even toward adults. As reporter Andrea Billups notes, "That has many educators concerned that students who like wrestling — and they make up a substantial portion of the viewing audience — may transfer the behavior they see glorified in the ring to the way they treat their friends and classmates, said Ronald Stephens, executive director of the National School Safety Center" (Billups 2). Parents are worried as well, and many support growing opposition to wrestling violence, including boycotting products advertised during pro-wrestling broadcasts.

The Case for Viewer Harm: Experts and Documented Cases

Unfortunately, many highly publicized cases point to children being strongly motivated toward violent behavior after viewing televised pro-wrestling matches. Probably the most widely known is the case of Lionel Tate, a 13-year-old who killed a playmate using moves he had seen on televised wrestling matches and was subsequently convicted of murder. The Lionel Tate case shocked the public and reignited debate about the real-world consequences of media violence for children.

Violence is defined as "behavior by persons against persons that intentionally threatens, attempts, or actually inflicts physical harm. The behaviors included in this definition are largely included in definitions of aggression" (Jackman). This aggression is alarmingly apparent in children who regularly watch televised wrestling. Numerous studies document a dramatic increase in violent behavior among children exposed to violent entertainment. As one writer notes:

"There have been 1,000 published reports on the impact of TV violence. The National Institute of Mental Health says there is overwhelming evidence that violent entertainment causes violent behavior. For example, homicide rates doubled within 15 years after television was introduced into specific areas of the United States and Canada" (Reuter).

The historical dimension is worth noting as well. One expert observed, "The prominence and success of physical violence in the organization of mass entertainment throughout history — gladiator games, bull fights, dog fights, boxing matches, 'action' movies — suggests a widespread attraction to violence, whether for catharsis, excitement, thrills, or sexual arousal" (Jackman). Professional wrestling and its inherent violence are therefore nothing new; they are the continuation of a long history of violent spectacle. However, the sheer accessibility of televised wrestling — available in nearly every home, at nearly any hour — makes its potential influence on children more immediate than that of a gladiator contest or a boxing match attended in person.

Conclusion: Responsibility and Reform

In conclusion, the evidence, though certainly debatable, seems to point conclusively toward televised wrestling contributing to more violent behavior in children who watch it. The Lionel Tate case is simply the tip of the iceberg; there are suits pending in court that allege "professional wrestling has become a showy display of graphic violence, sexual themes, and dangerous stunts" (Reuter). Young children are particularly impressionable, and because of this, professional wrestling poses a particular risk. Many experts believe children are unable to distinguish between fantasy violence on the screen and the real violence that kills or maims a friend — or even an enemy. Violence is all too prevalent in our society, and one contributing factor, as studies have clearly shown, is the violence that surrounds children every day. Children are especially susceptible because such violence often carries no apparent real-world meaning for them, making professional wrestling a dangerous influence when viewed by a child who does not grasp the true implications of what he or she is watching.

The rise in violence among children who watch televised wrestling must be addressed. Parents need to be far more aware of what their children are watching on television and must take concrete steps to limit exposure to overly violent programming. Television is not a convenient babysitter — the programs children consume can have serious effects on their behavior, and families must monitor viewing habits carefully. Professional wrestling has become excessively sexual and violent, and the programming either needs to be substantially toned down or restricted from broadcast hours accessible to young children. This might mean significant revenue losses in the short term, but the public deserves relief from the violent and sexually suggestive content so prevalent in today's media landscape. If enough viewers complain, or boycott the products advertised during wrestling broadcasts, television networks will respond. People can make a difference, and they need to take a stand before escalating content incites further and more serious harm in coming generations.

Works Cited

Billups, Andrea. "Analysts Grapple With the Popularity of Pro-wrestling." The Washington Times 22 Dec. 1999: 2.

Butters, Patrick. "Wrestlers Pinned by Image of Gore: Fatal Fall is Further Injury to the Sport." The Washington Times 2 June 1999: 8.

Jackman, Mary R. "Violence in Social Life." Annual Review of Sociology (2002): 387+.

Reuter, Ted. "Kids Grapple with Wrestling Violence." Dr. Politics.com. 30 March 2000. 26 Nov. 2003.

Staff. "Hulk Hogan, Sting, The Rock Subpoenaed for Miami Child's Murder Trial." CourtTV.com. 23 May 2001. 26 Nov. 2003.

Twitchell, James B. Preposterous Violence: Fables of Aggression in Modern Culture. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.