Any woman who has experienced some form of sexual assault knows that having to relive trauma is its own singular hell, especially when it's on others' terms. Now imagine being forced to relive trauma in front of not just a room full of strangers, but thousands (or millions) more online.
Tragically, that's the reality for women like Amber Heard, Catalina Ruiz-Navarro, Brittany Higgins, and many more around the world.
Silenced, a new documentary directed by Selina Miles, follows the reaction to the #MeToo movement through the POV of these women and international human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson, as she fights against the rise of defamation lawsuits being used to silence survivors of sexual violence.
After the #MeToo movement encouraged many women to speak up about sexual harassment, abuse, and violence they had been facing in various spheres for years, the men who were accused found a way to hit back: SLAPP lawsuits.
SLAPP (an acronym for strategic lawsuits against public participation) is a type of legal action that can be weaponized to intimidate survivors who speak out — burdening accusers with the high costs of legal defense and the need to continue telling their story not just in court but often in the court of public opinion.
When these suits are made against women who accuse men of sexual harassment or assault, they are not just used to silence the specific women who complained; they also have a chilling effect on other women, who are discouraged from speaking out in the first place.
The doc largely follows three subjects: Heard in her legal battles against Johnny Depp; Latin American journalist Ruiz-Navarro as she fights for the right to report on sexual assault accusations; and Australian politician Higgins in her public struggle after she accused a fellow political worker of assault.
On one hand, Silenced is viscerally depressing. Several subjects talk about how protections for women are just as bad as they were 50 years ago. Watching the women being shouted at, insulted, and gawked at while they relive their most horrific memories makes one want to crawl out of one's skin.
Some of the worst moments come when Depp's fans dress up as his characters to go cheer for him and boo Heard at court hearings.
On the other hand, the film is also deeply inspiring. Despite the setbacks, the odds stacked against them, and the venom-spitting haters, these women refused to be silenced. Even when the whole world is against them, they are standing strong. Knowing that makes it a little easier to move through the world as a woman.
As soon as the film debuted at this year's Sundance Film Festival, trolls online started review-bombing it. People who hadn't seen the film were giving it one-star reviews on IMDb and Letterboxd, further proving the film's point.
Even now that the court cases are in the past, these women are still being targeted for speaking out.
Silenced is a vital documentary for these times.
Out Review: 4 out of 5 stars.
