"Mercy" film urges discussion of rape and victim blaming

Mercy, a new indie film centered around the rape of young woman and fall out - which including victim blaming within a culture of rape - urges an important discussion of justice, violence, and victims in a society that allows and even encourages rape.

The film is meant to both further promote the dialogue that recent atrocities have begun, as well as explore the horrendous way that such crimes are dealt with by the media. As the website explains:

The incidents themselves are heinous, but the official response to them by the media -- and the American public at large -- is almost as disturbing.  The extent to which victims of sexual assault are shamed and ostracized for speaking up speaks volumes about the way our culture perceives rape.  And we are of the firm belief that this needs to change.

Needless to say, an incredibly important movie is being made. I've written on these issues before, and a film will hit home the very real way that rape affects people - probably in a way that will be extremely uncomfortable and downright painful. And that's a good thing. I'm looking forward to seeing this incredibly important movie (if you're like me and not in the LA area, it'll be available via vimeo this winter) not because I imagine that I'll enjoy watching the realities and aftermath of rape, but because I truly believe it's important to put ourselves in the shoes of others, even if we're not powerful enough to immediately affect a change in rape culture or the way rape is handled by the media. Seeing a film like this, if you've never had personal experience with or with someone who has been a victim of sexual violence, could drastically change the way you view survivors. Films like this, seen by enough people, could help shift the paradigm away from victim blaming and shaming and towards work against rape culture and prosecution of rapists rather than of victims.

This is why I'm encouraging you to see this film. Many of us are lucky enough to never understand firsthand the realities of sexual violence, but if you're one of those people, statistics show that we all have friends and family members who are not so lucky. Rape is a reality for millions of women in America and around the world, and yet there is a noticeable lack of exploration of the topic in popular media.

Before the film debutes, there are a few other things you can do to help it be a success. You can promote it on social media or your own blogs, as I did here, and if you're of financial means, you can donate to the project in exchange for some cool stuff. All the info is on the website. I encourage you to check it out, and unless you've a survivor and sensitive to seeing it played out, push yourself to expose yourself to media such as this despite the scary topic.