The 3hr 16min film opens with a police car cruising through the streets, arriving at a domestic disturbance and arresting a man who claims innocence. It goes on after this to show a mixture of arrests and questioning in households which have reported domestic disturbance. A large part of this important documentary also consists of women in group sessions and discussion with counselors in a shelter for battered victims. Bruised and angry women (many of whom have small children) recount their horrific pasts of sexual, emotional and physical control. Interestingly enough, the main reason the women gave for eventually leaving the batterer (usually a husband or boyfriend) and coming to the refuge for help, was not to protect themselves, but to protect their children.
The most positive thing about the film was how the victims eyes were opened to their own self-worth at the refuge. A lot of the women reported that they didn't even realize that what their partners were doing was wrong, and if they did, they forgave them and let them do it again and again. There is a tragic scene early in the film where are blood-soaked woman whose teeth have been punched through her cheek screams for the paramedics not to take her away.
Statistics showed that 650 adults and one thousand children arrive at the shelter annually. 50% of these children have been abused prior to admission and 50% of which are under 5yrs old. 15% of batterers are women and about 12 men each year go to the refuge for help. Domestic violence crimes take up a third of all police time, (Tampa, Florida).
Each different story/clip is separated by drab images of six-lane traffic and the desolate buildings of the shelter, I don't think the sun was shown once.
Domestic Violence is an excellent reminder of the cruelty a large proportion of the population still has to live with from day to day and and cyclic nature of family abuse. Despite the depressive nature of the material, it is both real and hope-giving.
The most positive thing about the film was how the victims eyes were opened to their own self-worth at the refuge. A lot of the women reported that they didn't even realize that what their partners were doing was wrong, and if they did, they forgave them and let them do it again and again. There is a tragic scene early in the film where are blood-soaked woman whose teeth have been punched through her cheek screams for the paramedics not to take her away.
Statistics showed that 650 adults and one thousand children arrive at the shelter annually. 50% of these children have been abused prior to admission and 50% of which are under 5yrs old. 15% of batterers are women and about 12 men each year go to the refuge for help. Domestic violence crimes take up a third of all police time, (Tampa, Florida).
Each different story/clip is separated by drab images of six-lane traffic and the desolate buildings of the shelter, I don't think the sun was shown once.
Domestic Violence is an excellent reminder of the cruelty a large proportion of the population still has to live with from day to day and and cyclic nature of family abuse. Despite the depressive nature of the material, it is both real and hope-giving.