Private Violence Feature-Length Film
Everyone wants to know: Why doesn’t she leave? Private Violence asks a different set of questions: Why does society blame her for his abuse? Why do women continue to be assaulted and murdered across America? What role does society play in ending this violence?
Private Violence, a feature-length documentary about the epidemic of violence against women in America, will debunk the myths about victims, perpetrators and survivors of domestic violence, draw the connection between violence in our homes and violence in our streets,
and serve as cornerstone for a comprehensive public awareness campaign
that will educate, inform and then inspire women and men - from all walks of
life - to get involved.
One woman’s courageous journey from victim to survivor serves as the backbone of the film. Private Violence draws back the curtain on this deeply entrenched and misunderstood crime by working the tension between the cold, stark brutality of domestic violence and a transcendent story of survival. Deanna Walters’ case exemplifies exactly what women across the country face every day: indifference from the local criminal justice system, marginalization and blame from family and friends; and the feeling that she’ll be dead before anyone takes her seriously.
A New Kind of Strength: The Men’s Movement to End Domestic Violence
Fathers and their sons, coaches and players, police officers and civic leaders – A New Kind of Strength highlights men who have decided that violence against women is not just a women’s issue, and have taken action in their communities to advocate for real change.
These men – including Vice President Joe Biden and Joe Torre – are invested in stopping violence against women before it starts. By challenging accepted notions of masculinity, these men are presenting new images of a different kind of strength, especially for boys who are just forming their identity as men, and who are beginning to define their relationships with women. Funded by the Waitt Institute for Violence prevention, this 10-minute short film is available for use free of charge for a limited time.
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Private Violence Trainer’s Edition
We have already produced a 21-minute educational film for domestic violence prevention educators. Divided into chapters, this short documentary offers a portrait of some of the many different issues related to domestic violence, and the attitudes that help to perpetuate this epidemic.
The issues covered include: the psychology of power & control, the beginning of the Battered Women’s Movement, Popular Culture representations of domestic violence through the decades, historic attitudes toward battering in America, the successes and failures of our criminal justice system, and the impact on children, families and communities.
Thanks to the generous support of the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention, we will be able to offer copies of this short educational film as a gift in exchange for a tax-deductable donation to the production of the feature length film. Go here for more information on purchasing the Trainer’s Edition. Watch a clip from the short film.
Survivor to Survivor
Our partner project “Survivor to Survivor” is a web-based campaign to reach and assist victims of domestic violence. In an initiative unique to the state of North Carolina, a group of advocates and documentary filmmakers have come together to produce “Survivor to Survivor,” a series of eighteen short documentaries focused on topics relevant to victims of domestic violence.
Though the films are populated with the a cadre of law enforcement officers, judges, mental health professionals, and victim advocates, survivors of domestic violence are clearly the experts, sharing their own experiences. Click image to visit survivortosurvivor.org.
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