Yikes. Maroon 5's talked-about music video for "Animals" has an opponent in one sexual assault support group. The Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN) has slammed the band for glorifying a stalker in their latest clip released Monday, Sept. 29.
"Maroon 5's video for 'Animals' is a dangerous depiction of a stalker's fantasy," RAINN says in a statement released by its Vice President of Communications, Katherine Hull Fliflet. "And no one should ever confuse the criminal act of stalking with romance. The trivialization of these serious crimes, like stalking, should have no place in the entertainment industry."
The offending video features band frontman Adam Levine as a cleaver-wielding butcher's assistant who stalks an unsuspecting woman (played by his real-life wife, supermodel Behati Prinsloo). Scenes from "Animals" include an angsty Levine tucked away in a basement surrounded by animal carcasses and dozens of photos he's acquired of Prinsloo. In other scenes, he stands outside of Prinsloo's window waiting for her to sleep, only to break into her apartment and crawl into bed with her as she's unaware of his presence.
The most disturbing (and graphic!) visuals from the video, however, occur when Levine sleeps with Prinsloo as gallons of blood trickles down from above. Making "Animals" even creepier are the song's lyrics, including: "Baby, I’m preying on you tonight / Hunt you down eat you alive / Just like animals…" and "Maybe you think that you can hide / I can smell your scent from miles / Just like animals."
While the band has yet to react to the backlash they're receiving for the video, Prinsloo tweeted Monday: "It's out and its bloody, ready for Halloween @maroon5 adamlevine #musicvideo."
RAINN, in the final part of its statement, told victims of stalking and/or assault that there are support outlets. "Survivors everywhere can get help 24/7 through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org," the organization wrote.
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