Three free showings of “The Hunting Ground” will be held in Fredericksburg, followed by panel discussions.
The documentary exams sexual assault at American universities and the response by some institutions to blame and silence the victims and shield perpetrators in order to protect a school’s name.
“Film is a powerful tool to help ignite conversation, raise awareness, and drive change,” director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering wrote. They hope “The Hunting Ground” will be a “formidable catalyst for social change.”
Fredericksburg’s three screenings are on:
Tuesday, Sept. 15
7 p.m. in the University of Mary Washington (UMW) Information and Technology Convergence Center (ITCC) Digital Auditorium
1301 College Ave., Fredericksburg
Wednesday, Sept. 16
12:30 p.m. in the Germanna Community College (GCC) Sealy Auditorium
10000 Germanna Point Dr., Fredericksburg
Saturday, Sept. 19
9:30 a.m. at Paragon Village 12
51 Towne Centre Blvd., Fredericksburg
In Fredericksburg, the showings follow a year of issues at the University of Mary Washington. On May 7, Feminists United UMW filed a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for for Civil Rights, alleging the University failed to act on knowledge and violated the gender equity law Title IX over sexual harassment.
The issue of sexual assault on campus has reached Congress this summer. The Safe Campus Act was introduced in July 2015. The bill “would bar colleges and universities from punishing alleged sexual assailants, unless victims of sexual violence report the assault to police,” The Washington Post reported. “Anti-violence advocates, trauma experts, women’s groups and higher education organizations are in almost near-universal agreement: It’s an awful idea, putting up cruel and unnecessary barriers for assault survivors.”
The Fredericksburg screenings of “The Hunting Ground” are sponsored by The Women and Girls Fund of The Community Foundation, Empowerhouse domestic violence shelter, the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault, Germanna Community College and the University of Mary Washington.
“The Hunting Ground” was produced by the Academy Award®-nominated and two-time Emmy Award®-winning documentary film team of director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering.
Related Stories
Feminists United UMW Calls Hurley Statements ‘Galling and Untrue’ (June 15, 2015)
UMW President Refutes Feminist Majority Foundation (June 8, 2015)
Suit Claims UMW Ignored Sexual Harassment Reports (May 9, 2015)
UMW Men’s Rugby Club Suspension A National Conversation (March 26, 2015)
Complaint Claims University Where Student Was Killed Failed To Act On Relentless Yik Yak Threats (HuffPost College, May 7, 2015)
Virginia Wesleyan College Demands Rape Victim’s Entire Sexual History (August 9, 2015, on The Huffington Post)
Making it harder to punish campus rapists won’t help stop campus rape (August 10, 2015 in The Washington Post)
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