5 impactful sexual assault awareness movies to watch in April
For Sexual Assault Awareness Month, these films are worth viewing as they shed light on sexual assault and the brave survivors who speak out against it.
It’s mid-April and we have been busy, but not too busy to recognize that it is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This is an annual campaign in order to raise awareness of the tragedies and heartbreak that sexual assault causes. This month, it is important to observe in order to educate communities on the travesties of sexual assault and how to practice sexual assault prevention.
That is why we put together a list of sexual assault awareness movies that you should view this month in order to observe this important cause.
Thelma & Louise
The 1991 MGM classic, Thelma and Louise, directed by Ridley Scott, is not only girl power goals, but it also is a voice for sexual assault awareness. If you have seen the film, you will definitely remember that terrifying moment when Thelma is being ravaged outside of a bar by a stranger, whom she had just met.
The scene amplifies as he rips off Thelma’s clothes and hits her to keep her under control. When Louise approaches, she threatens to shoot the man. He surrenders, but then Louise shoots him anyways for continuing to run his mouth. Nobody disrespects these ladies! It’s a scene that details not only the horror of assault, but two characters who take down the assailant and continue to be bad-ass women throughout the film.
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 film directed by Frank Darabont and based on the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. It tells the story of Andy Dufresne who is sentenced to life in prison.
Although sexual assault is not the main focus in this film, it does delve into the sexual assault that occurs in the prison system. Many critics believe that the way sexual assault was discussed in this film was incorrect and false, while others believe that the film does a good job of depicting sexual violence. Either way, this is a good film to watch to get the conversation flowing about this important issue.
Spotlight
Spotlight, which was released in 2015, is a biographical drama directed by Tom McCarthy, which follows The Boston Globe‘s “spotlight” team — an investigative journalism unit. This unit focuses mainly on sexual violence and assault cases dealing with children around the Boston, Massachusetts area.
The film centers around the sexual assault cases by multiple Roman Catholic priests in the area. The compilation of stories that the film shares with its audience is the cases that won the spotlight team the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2003.
Audrie & Daisy
Audrie & Daisy is a documentary released in 2016 and was directed by a husband-wife directing duo, Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk. The film tells the story of two American high school girls who suffered from cyberbullying that was directly related to sexual assault crimes that they had been the victims of.
This powerful modern Scarlet Letter documentary heartbreakingly shows what sexual assault and cyberbullying can lead to and the effects it has on those surrounding the victims. The documentary follows their stories through social media, family interviews, and police investigations.
Precious
The 2009 drama, Precious, directed by Lee Daniels and based on the novel Push by Sapphire, is a must-watch for April’s Sexual Assault Awareness month. This terribly heart-wrenching film shares the story of a young woman in an abusive household and how she works to overcome her setbacks.
The film highlights the hardships and effects that come with sexual assault. And, unlike some of the other films on this list, it touches on how hard it is to break free from domestic sexual abuse- not only emotionally but literally and physically. This hopeful tale will have you tearing up, but the story aspect of this movie is so worth the extra tissues.
If you or someone you know is or has been the victim of sexual assault, please know you can go to RAINN.org or call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for support.