Archive for Case Studies

Documentaries and non-profit organizations often share the same vision for social justice. Building a bridge between the two can be help leverage social impact beyond conventional streams. Non-profits hold the keys to new audiences and already established avenues of outreach. Filmmakers hold the keys to storytelling that brings awareness to abstract issues of life that gets the attention of a mainstream audience.

GOAL:

Leverage Sin by Silence to reach a broader network, with non-profit partnerships, so the message can resonate through the power of a story to motivate action.

STRATEGY:

1. Identify organizations, on local and national levels, that are leaders in the movement of violence against women and incarcerated survivors.
2. Build connections with organizations that will incorporate Sin by Silence into their strategies for change.
3. Incorporate organization's resources to be complimentary materials to Sin by Silence in order to do something beyond just viewing the film.
4. Connect audience members with organizations for continued advocacy.

HIGHLIGHT:

UNIFEM'S Say NO Unite aims to trigger and highlight actions by individuals, governments and civil society partners to realize a vision that is ambitious – a future that is free from violence against women and girls. Working through traditional, as well as online networks and social media, Say NO Unite engages participants from all walks of life. A range of web-based and other tools available on saynotoviolence.org supports advocacy efforts and work to a global audience.

In February of 2010, the Sin by Silence Action Kits were featured on the Say No network to over 67,000 advocates and organizations around the world. Through the Say No announcement, we were able to have an immediate reach to 8,834 people and have a potential reach to over 57,000 subscribers. We then became a highlighted campaign on the homepage of their website and have the potential of reaching countless people searching for new actions to help in their own advocacy against violence.

In March 2010, Say No Unites started a YouTube campaign featuring a video each week that highlights work helping to end violence against women. Our "What's Your Flag" was the first video to be featured for the launch. Through the Say No announcement on their network, we were able to have an immediate reach to 12,172 and potential reach to over 81,000 subscribers. The views of the video nearly doubled during this week - from 522 views to 986.

PARTNERS:

Sin by Silence delivers a decisive message affecting the entire public, and with our continued collaborative efforts we hope to see lives changed, woman’s roles transformed and the next generation experiencing a decrease in violence against women.

Family Violence Prevention Fund
Peace Over Violence
Family Justice Center Alliance
National Training Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
Nicole Brown Charitable Foundation
National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women
Free Battered Women
The California Women’s Law Center
Post-Conviction Justice Project
California Coalition for Women Prisoners
California Habeas Project
Action Committee for Women in Prison

Social justice filmmakers always dream of having legislative impact. A chance to strategically create change that truly makes a concrete difference. A movement that leads to tangible change in by framing an important but largely invisible issue in meaningful human terms. Meaningful terms that affect communities. Reunite families. Give women who have been incarcerated for decades a glimmer of hope and a future in the free world.

With Sin by Silence, we knew from the very beginning that we wanted to create enough of an impact to free the women of Convicted Women Against Abuse. To create more than just a film. To create an impact that went straight to the California Capitol to directly help release the women who are featured in the film. In 2012, our dream finally is coming true with The Sin by Silence Bills (AB 593 & AB1593).

The Timeline:

In 2009, California faced an unanticipated challenge when the Governor eliminated all funding for domestic violence agencies. But, the tide turned as Californian's cried out for justice and safety for families. Four months later, the State government temporarily reinstated shelter funding for the fiscal year. But, the damage was already done. Across the state, five shelters already had to permanently close their doors to victims needing help in their area. The Quiet Little Place team was invited to join the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence in Sacramento for Legislative Action Days taking place on the 1 year anniversary of our debut. As a pivotal moment in our campaign, Sin by Silence screened for the Select Committee on Domestic Violence, as well as the Legislative Women's Caucus in order to help bring urgency to the ever growing issues of domestic violence throughout the state. Our team, as well as Brenda Clubine who is featured in the film, were part of the taking part of various meetings with legislators to help educate about the resources needed to support domestic violence programs and services throughout California.

In 2010, the Quiet Little Place team was invited to join the Women In Government conferences to present our film and research directly to female legislators from across the country. As a result, we were able to personally inspire California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma to take on our cause to help the remaining survivors trapped behind bars. The result? A journey to bring to life new legislation that would make history in California.

In 2011, we gathered key individuals from the California Habeas Project, UC Berkeley Law, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, along with key survivors and lawyers who helped their cases find freedom to head to Sacramento for an information hearing hosted by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma. All of our hard work, and years of outreach, came down to this moment when we were able to present the cause to the Capitol. This pivotal hearing lit an emotional flame that has fueled a movement and the Sin by Silence Bill (AB 593) is awaiting a final vote from the State Senate to change the laws that continue to keep many of the women in the film still behind bars. Sin by Silence is more than just a film - it represents what great television can do when we act - lives will change, women’s roles will transform, and the next generation will be empowered to act with courage.

The Outcome:

After countless conference calls, meetings, trips to Sacramento, and speaking at legislative hearings, Governor Brown signed the Sin by Silence Bills into law and went into effect on January 1, 2013.

“I am so proud that Governor Brown has signed both of my bills,” stated Assemblywoman Ma. “Today, we give hope to approximately 7,000 victims across the state who have survived domestic violence, who believed the system had failed them, and will now have an opportunity to speak out against injustice.”

This effort would not have happened without the Sin by Silence network who joined with us, signed petitions, made calls to legislators and Governor Brown to ensure these bills became law!

To find out more about the Sin by Silence Bill visit http://www.SinBySilenceBill.com