When Did Women’s Suffering Become Entertainment?

Lately, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend across short dramas, books, and audiobooks—especially those being promoted on Facebook and other social media platforms. These stories revolve around one common theme: women suffering.

Whether it’s a video clip, a serialized audiobook, or a short story, the formula is the same:

• A woman loves a man so much that she endures endless humiliation, betrayal, and abuse.
• A pregnant wife loses her baby because of a cheating husband, yet she forgives him.
• A mistress slaps and beats the wife while the husband stands by.
• A mother-in-law treats the wife like a slave, making her life miserable.
• A boss forces a woman into a relationship to secure a business deal.

And somehow, by the end of the story, the woman either accepts her fate or the man suddenly "realizes" her worth—usually after she has endured unspeakable pain.

But who is the audience for these stories? And what message are we really sending?

The Hook That Traps Viewers and listeners

These dramas and books have a way of keeping people hooked. You continue watching or listening, hoping that the woman will rise like a phoenix, that she will finally take control and turn the tables on those who mistreated her. But why does she have to be completely destroyed first?

Is it necessary for a woman to be humiliated before she can become strong? Why do these stories glorify revenge instead of showing women who simply walk away from toxic situations before they reach the breaking point? Strength doesn’t come from enduring pain—it comes from refusing to tolerate it in the first place.

The Problem With These Narratives

One of the most troubling aspects of these stories is that many of the women portrayed as helpless victims are actually educated, wealthy, or even heiresses. They have resources, yet they choose to stay in abusive relationships, constantly forgiving the unforgivable.

Is that what education has become? A tool that produces women who are willing to be treated like doormats? What message does this send to young girls who watch these dramas or listen to these audiobooks? That love means suffering? That wealth and education mean nothing if you don’t have a man by your side?

And what about young men? If they consume enough of this content, will they begin to believe that women exist to endure pain, that it’s normal for them to forgive abuse, and that a man can do anything as long as he regrets it in the end?

Is This True Love?

Can there be true love where there is violence and abuse? These stories often portray toxic relationships as grand, tragic love stories. But love should not be built on suffering. A man who truly loves a woman does not cheat on her, beat her, or force her to endure humiliation. He does not realize her worth only after destroying her.

Yet these stories keep repeating the same harmful message:

• If a woman is patient, she will eventually be rewarded.
• If she suffers enough, the man will change.
• If she forgives, she will finally get her happy ending.

This is dangerous. In reality, abusers do not change just because a woman tolerates their behaviour. Endurance is not love. Silence is not loyalty. And suffering is not strength.

Who Is Behind These Stories?

What makes this trend even more concerning is that many of these dramas, books, and audiobooks are written and produced by women. If women are creating and promoting content that glorifies abuse, then we have a deep-rooted problem. Are they internalizing these harmful ideas, believing them to be true? Or are they simply selling what the market wants?

And if men are behind these stories, then the issue is just as troubling—because they are profiting from the humiliation of women. Either way, the result is the same: another generation is being fed the idea that a woman’s greatest strength is her ability to endure pain.

The Power of Social Media

Thanks to social media, these toxic narratives are reaching a global audience. Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms are flooded with these stories, making them accessible to anyone. Young girls are watching. So are young boys. If we continue feeding them these narratives, how can we ever hope to achieve true gender equality?

Entertainment isn’t just entertainment—it shapes how people think. It influences culture, relationships, and self-worth. And if we keep romanticizing suffering, we are telling women that their pain is normal, even necessary, for love.

We Need Better Stories

If entertainment reflects society, then we need to ask: Why are these narratives being pushed so aggressively? And why is there such a huge market for women’s pain but so few stories about women’s strength?

It’s time to demand better.

• Stop consuming content that glorifies abuse. If a drama, book, or audiobook pushes these toxic messages, call it out.
• Support stories that empower women. Share and promote books and dramas with strong female leads who take control of their own lives.
• Encourage better storytelling. If there’s an audience for suffering, then there’s an audience for strength too. Writers, producers, and content creators need to do better.

Women’s pain should never be entertainment. And suffering should never be mistaken for love. If these kinds of stories continue to dominate, we have to ask—who is benefiting from them? And at what cost?