The harrowing experiences of domestic violence survivors and the valiant people who work to protect them have been documented in a locally-made film launched in Albury.
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The first official screening of The Ripple Effect at The Hub on November 28 coincides with the Border’s support for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
The film reveals one in four Australian women have experienced at least one incident of violence from an intimate partner since the age of 15.
The short documentary is a collaboration between YES Unlimited, which runs Albury women’s refuge Betty’s Place, and local filmmaker Helen Newman.
It will be distributed online, in schools and community forums as a resource to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions and support those seeking help.
Newman, who has a background working with domestic violence survivors, said she first approached YES about the project at the end of 2016.
“There is a lot of mythology around why women stay in domestic violence situations,” she said.
“There are a lot of forces at play and I wanted women to be able to articulate their experiences in a way that was accessible.”
Newman interviewed two women from Betty’s Place and a survivor of partner rape.
“This woman is a friend who has written several books on the correlation between sexual violence and homicide,” she explained.
“In the film I thought it was also important to look at the workers who support these women and what resources are there for accessing help.”
Newman hopes the film can be used as a resource to recognise and understand the complexity of leaving a violent relationship.
“I would like to see it used as a tool for survivors, medical practitioners such as GPs, employer groups and legal services,” she said.
Betty’s Place program manager Danielle Thompson said domestic and family violence was an issue that continued to confront the community on many levels.
“The women in this film have shown incredible courage and resilience in sharing their story,” she said.
“I am amazed by their ability to use their experience to contribute to changing how we view and treat this issue.”
The film was funded through a grant by Border Trust and Albury-Wodonga’s White Ribbon Grants Committee.
The screening was part of YES Unlimited’s annual celebration, which also included the launch of a revamped drop-in space at The Hub and a report from its Change Makers youth group.
