What's it take to pass a law...money, fame, power? Well, to help pass the Sin by Silence Bills, we wanted to rely on the power of the people! People who have been with the Sin by Silence team since our launch in 2009. People who joined our red flag events and wrote on their flags. People who watched the film and were passionate to make change!
We enlisted all of our networks to step up to do something. Call Governor Brown's office. Sign the online petitions. Join us at the California Capitol to meet with legislators. It took an army of people who simply cared to the do the right thing! The result? Over 7,000 domestic violence survivors, currently in California prisons, have a chance at freedom. It takes the power of the people, indeed.
January 2, 2013
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Comments Off on The Sin by Silence Bills Pass Into Law
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, but an impact that went straight to the California Capitol to directly help the women who are featured in the film. Our dream finally is coming true with The Sin by Silence Bills (AB 593 & AB 1593).
“I’ve worked on a wide variety of issues, but there is none
that is more dear to my heart than the issue of incarcerated victims.
After watching the moving film Sin By Silence,
I decided that action needed to be taken.”
- Assemblymember Fiona Ma
Both bills were signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown and went into effect on January 1, 2013. This is a historical moment in the anti-domestic violence movement as California is the only state in the country to have these unprecedented laws to give incarcerated survivors the opportunity to be heard and have another chance at justice.
AB 593 will do two things: it will allow victims of domestic violence whose expert testimony was limited at their trial court proceedings to re-file for a writ of habeas corpus to allow this expert testimony to weigh in on their defense and it will also give victims more time to receive legal representation by deleting the sunset date currently in statute.
AB 1593 will give victims who have suffered Intimate Partner Battering (IPB) a chance to present their evidence in an effective way during the parole process by giving great weight to any information or evidence that proves the prisoner experienced IPB and its effects at the time the crime was committed. This bill will also require that the information delivered to the Legislature relating to IPB, will be in specific and detailed reports.
What's it take to tell the story behind the story? As documentary filmmakers, we are in the trenches working tirelessly to get the world to care about our cause. Yet, sometimes we have the rare opportunity to share those moments that we cherish as filmmakers. Those glimpses that let our audience know what keep the flame burning to champion our causes.
Hear from Olivia Klaus (Director & Producer):
Hear from Ann-Caryn Cleveland (Co-Producer & Editor):
Spreading the word about the upcoming Sin by Silence broadcast with Discovery ID to millions of watchers as we finish up the press tour. From coast to coast, radio, television and print the nation definitely has heard to news to tune in Monday, October 17th to watch the incredible stories of the Convicted Women Against Abuse.
October 1, 2011
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We are thrilled to announce the world television premiere of Sin by Silence on Discovery's Investigation Discovery channel starting on Monday, October 17th, 2011! This is a dream come true for the Quiet Little Place team as 78 million homes have the opportunity to tune in for the powerful stories of incarcerated battered women.
"We are proud to bring this powerful documentary to television, to share with television audiences the harrowing stories of these women behind bars," said Henry Schleiff, president and general manager of Investigation Discovery. "Instead of fighting a system that does not fully comprehend the complexities of abuse, the women of CWAA instead choose to fight to change laws for battered women nationwide. Through the premiere of this documentary, we hope to extend their message and champion their crusade to stop the cycle of violence."
Click here to read the press release and click here to find your local channel for Investigation Discovery.
January 11, 2011
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We made the list! Sin by Silence was recently selected as the American Library Association’s “2011 list of Notable Videos for Adults”. We are thrilled to be listed as one of 15 outstanding programs released on video within the past two years that make a significant contribution to the world of video recordings.
A make sure you have a copy of our educational DVD – an essential resource for any professor, training or non-profit group. In addition to the film, the DVD features more than 2 hours of discussion videos on the various issues and themes sparked by the stories of the Convicted Women Against Abuse. Click here for more information.
January 25, 2010
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A behind the scenes look at Sin by Silence was in People Magazine's January 2010 issue. As part of the "Amazing Reunions" article, the story of how Brenda Clubine lost her son upon incarceration was highlighted. As shown in a scene of Sin by Silence, a phone call connected them after nearly 26 years of being a part. The glue that brought their reunion together was actually the production of Sin by Silence when Olivia Klaus, the director of the film, got a phone call from Brenda's son while on his quest to find his mother. The QLP team was then able to play a key role in reuniting a mother and son together, while also capturing this amazing journey for what becomes a beautiful ending to such a tragic story.
Click here to take a look at all of the stories featured in the Amazing Reunions article.
July 19, 2009
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"You can’t just want your film to be a powerful tool for creating social change. YOU HAVE TO ENSURE IT!" - Working Films
The Quiet Little Place team will be heading to NY in August for our first film residence with Working Films. As a recent grantee of the Fledgling Fund, were were chose to be part of the week long activities that will help us refine audience engagement plans for Sin by Silence.
"This interactive workshop focuses on the nuts & bolts of audience and community engagement campaigning for non-fiction films. Working Films will guide a select group of grantees from the Fledgling Fund and Chicken & Egg Pictures as they create and/or refine audience engagement plans for their non-fiction media and film projects. Linking the documentaries to organizations committed to progressive social change will be a key component of the residency."
Another great piece about domestic violence aired on NPR today. It featured a segment from Sin by Silence, and has sparked great discussions on the topic of shelter budget cuts in the midst of skyrocketing demand for help.
“When the economy goes down, the number of domestic abuse cases usually goes up. KPCC’s Susan Valot says that seems to be the case in Orange County, where it’s taking more work to place battered women and their children in safe havens.”
We recently did an interview with Patt Morrison on KPCC and had amazing response. What an amazing opportunity to talk about the film and help shed some light on the issues of domestic violence.
Patt Morrison's show is known for its innovative discussions of local politics and culture, and for its presentation of national and world news as it affects Southern California.
Take a listen to the rest of the interview by clicking here.
