JUSTINE SKYE - "BUILD[s]" A PLATFORM FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS
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Hollie Kawall, October 25, 2018
Justine Skye’s “Build” visualizes the struggles of dealing with domestic violence on a personal level. Her video becomes a representation of the art of music creating a healing for herself. Her video is not only a healing for her but for those women dealing with or have dealt with domestic violence. These women can relate to the lyrics and the scenes when watching her video. Her lyrics state the wishing that if she could “build a nigga” he’d be someone better than the person she was in the relationship with, he’d be the “better man”. Skye struggled with addressing her personal issues and for those who follow her on social media, they have only seen a woman representing beauty and smiles. Unfortunately, like many other women dealing with domestic violence the smiles are a mask hiding the pain.
Her video features new artist Arin Ray who then shows the side of what it's like being in a relationship filled with broken promises and broken trust, “I know it hard to trust, and I know it’s hard for us to be what it once was”. In the beginning of the video everything is smiles in a fresh relationship but that suddenly changes to violence and tears when the man shows his true colors. The male perspective that Arin sings about is constantly sorry, knows he’s done wrong but nothing changes, the damage has already been made.
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What makes this video so raw and so emotional is the pain that Justine has to deal with reenacting all of what she went through on camera. This video depicts other women who were also dealing with the struggles of domestic violence. Just as they watched Justine relive her pain through acting, they also had to reenact and create the same environment. This rips the band aid off of the wound once more and each time these women all together get to stand up and address every detail of their personal struggle.
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Justine writes on Instagram explaining and opening up to her fans about her personal issues and how creating this video helped her healing:
“As DV Awareness month comes to an end.. the issue doesn’t just disappear. Recently I’ve had one of the scariest/heart breaking experiences in my life and it’s still hard for me to talk about. I felt stupid, angry, depressed... blamed myself. Trying to figure out how someone who claimed they loved me so much could find such evil within themselves to hurt me mentally and physically. Learned a lot about the people I chose to call my “friends”... and about myself. I was one of those people who would be like “No man would ever put their hands on me! .. blah blah blah..” We all think we know what we’d do until it’s happening to you. Now, I’m not looking for sympathy and never thought this would be part of the story I’d be telling of myself.. unfortunately it is, but I won’t let it be what defines me. I had to find the strength within myself and I’m hoping that through this video I can motivate whoever else is going through this or worse, to do the same.
You are strong, you are loved and you deserve so much better”.
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The power that Justine felt was once stripped of her through the violence of her relationship is now restored through the healing of music. If anyone is going through domestic violence or knows someone who is it is important to stand up and call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1−800−799−SAFE) you can save not only yourself but others as well around you.
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