Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

[Margaret Lazarus <>]

As Wendy Murphy mentioned, she and I have often discussed the fact that “Rape is” focuses more on acquaintance rape than stranger rape. Salamishah Tillet, co-founder of “A Long Walk Home” and assistant professor of English and Africana Studies at Penn, is a primary part of the film and she describes being raped as a freshman in college and then again on her college year abroad. Her sections are more heavily weighted than those of Kathy Girod, who was raped by a stranger. I made that choice because acquaintance rape is more common than stranger rape and I felt constrained by time. I am an ardent believer that most documentaries are far too long. To be of use as an educational force, documentaries must allow time for the educator, or activist showing the film, to get viewers to respond and contribute their own ideas—to meet a film at least half way. I believe that this is the way change happens, rather than through the passive viewing of something that is 90 minutes long. Of course you pay the price when you make a shorter documentary. There is so much to explore in a film about rape that too much must be covered quickly. I agree with Wendy that stranger rape and the impact it has on autonomy is critical and while Kathy Girod talks about it, these ideas need much more development.  I also agree with Wendy about the important work of Gail Dines regarding these issues. I worked with her and filmed her teaching in our film, “Strength to Resist,” about the impact of the media on women and girls and was deeply impressed by her insights on how violence against women impinges on our freedom, our sense of self and our basic human rights. Maybe that should be an entire film in itself…hmmm.

Margaret Lazarus