An Australian boxer has sparked controversy online after he joked about domestic violence ahead of the men’s State of Origin decider on Wednesday.
Benjamin Hussain, known as ‘The Hype Beast’, posted and later deleted a video making jokes about the rates of intimate partner violence on the night of a State of Origin game.
Gender-based violence prevention group Our Watch has condemned the comments.
Here’s what to know.
Hussain
Hussain is a professional boxer competing in the super welterweight division.
He has built a following on Instagram by documenting his boxing career, posting under the nickname ‘The Hype Beast’.
On Wednesday night, NSW played Queensland in Game 3 of the men’s State of Origin, in Brisbane.
hat night, Hussain posted to Instagram saying “boys, in Queensland domestic violence goes up 40% on Origin night,” and that NSW player Nathan Cleary “is single-handedly going to make it double”.
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Cleary was instrumental in the NSW Blues’ game and series victory over the Queensland Maroons.
Apology
In an apology video posted to social media, Hussain said: "I made a video last night that upset a select group of people… Obviously I was using dark humour there. I don’t support domestic violence or people kicking their dogs, I just got caught up at Game 3, you know."
He added: "I have got a lot of nasty messages today, you should use this energy on someone who was convicted because I made a joke and [it] landed wrong. I’m sorry.”
Response
Hussain’s post drew widespread criticism.
Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly told ABC journalist Marnie Vinall: “Comments like this in a year in which 36 Australian women have been killed by men are unacceptable”.
In a subsequent Instagram post, Vinall added: “It’s jokes like this that trivisalises domestic violence that leads to a culture that completely downplays just how serious this abuse is.”
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