Film screening and discussion, December 4, 3 pm [2014-11-27]
The US Embassy in Vilnius and the Gender Studies Centre invites people to a screening and discussion of the film “Private Violence” on December 4 at 3 pm at Didlaukio St. 47 – 103 room, Baltupiai. Birutė Sabatauskaitė (Centre for Human Rights), Natalija Bitiukova (Human Rights Monitoring Institute) and Dr. Lijana Stundžė (Gender Studies Centre) will be participating in the discussion.
The main question that victims who have suffered domestic violence hear is: “Why didn’t you leave?”, whilst the American documentary film “Private Violence” presents two stories that illustrate the complicated problems underlying this question. The film draws viewers into an at first simple yet disturbing fact that exists in American society: in America, the most dangerous place for a woman is her own home. Every day in the United States, at least four women die at the hand of their current or former husbands.
In the film “Private Violence” we witness through the eyes of women who have endured domestic violence the brutal reality of a close person – a reality that is painful and unambiguous. Deanna Walters is a young mother seeking justice over her husband’s crimes committed against her, and Kit Gruelle is a lawyer, herself a victim of domestic violence, actively fighting for justice on behalf of many women. The film breaks through our stereotypes of this world, where violence hangs in the air, revealing the absolute shortsighted approach typical of institutions and entrenched in society where the victim is often blamed for her own harsh fate and “inability” to protect herself from her offender’s attacks. The same society that urged women to search for “true love” turns around and shows her no mercy when that love becomes dangerous. As Deanna transforms from being a victim to a woman who has experienced violence, “Private Violence” formulates new, important questions that can potentially change society: “Why does he act violently?”, “How can a future be created where there is no room for violence?”.