The Safe Place

A common feeling women who are survivors of sexual assault encounter is helplessness. A huge majority of women are unable to report their assaults whether that is due to mentally not being in the position to report or feeling as if they don't have the resources or money to do so. As I reached an almost make or break point in my experience with living with PTSD for the past 3 years, I knew I needed to explore creatively approaching the feelings I had been supressing for many years. So whilst I struggled to talk about my experiences with others, it began to feel quite therapeutic for me to write about how PTSD had changed my life. Particularly when I began almost mourning the young, ambitious, trusting girl I used to be. I hope that with this short film I can help connect other survivors that may not feel represented amongst the film/tv representations of PTSD - as this is something more commonly associated with veterans. Which of course represents itself very differently amongst someone who has experienced sexual assault. This film aims to showcase even the small indicators that a loved one may be suffering from PTSD. With the help of our partnered organisation 'She's A Crowd' we can also offer our viewers an anonymous platform to report their experiences if unable to do so with authorities. This research is then used to inform governments for future policy and city planning. With the use of these reports we can now accurately understand just how prevalent violence against women is becoming in our society. 1 in 3 women will experience sexual violence in their life time. We all know a survivor. So we need to start showcasing content to support and educate.