Sexual Violence is Far from the Heart

by Nicole Rubacha

Far from the Heart is a film about something that 51% of all women experience at least once and 31% of those incidents occur in dating or acquaintance relationships. It’s sexual violence. “You decide her fate, prevent the violence,” the film’s website tells viewers. What follows is an interactive film that presents you with options for the main character, Felicity. The film’s importance starts with its title, which “signifies that sexual assault and dating violence are not expressions of love. Assault is ‘far from the heart,’” explains writer and producer Joan Chandler.

No matter what you do, you cannot prevent what happens to Felicity in the end, but life is a different story. Yes, there are certain things that you can do to keep yourself safer and make better choices. This however doesn’t guarantee that sexual violence will not happen. The film brings up many important questions about the universal issue of sexual violence. Do a woman’s clothing, actions, and behavior play a role in being assaulted? For instance, Felicity wearing a sexy red dress, which Rachel Brittain, the actress who played Felicity explains, “Some people feel that Felicity shouldn’t be wearing it because it makes her an easy target for men. Others have felt that the red dress isn’t the problem. The bottom line that we stress that is doesn’t matter at all what Felicity is, or isn’t wearing. It does not take away her right not to be assaulted.”

There are some things that young women can do to keep themselves safer, things you don’t see Felicity do, which leave you wishing she would choose differently. Don’t drink anything unless it’s opened in front of you, don’t take your eyes off your drink, or drink any homemade concoctions. Keep yourself clear-headed, know your limits, and don’t go over them. Have a buddy system where you and a friend look out for each other. It’s important to get the point across that this could happen to anyone. Your child, a friend or a classmate: anyone. “one choice can set into motion a whole slew of bad choices, and I think that moment serves are a lesson for girls to always take a moment to consider what could happen next and to be aware of their actions," Rachel explains.

Far from the Heart makes viewers think, but it also seeks to influence their actions, and create awareness of what warning signs to recognize so they can prevent bad situations before they take place. This innovative, interactive resource is a great tool for helping young people learn about the realities of sexual violence. However, parents also have a role to play. Most assaults occur when girls are less than 18-years old and Joan Chandler hopes parents “will help to end the violence by being open with their kids.”  By having an open conversation with their kids parents increase the likelihood that their children will make better choices, and, in the event a sexual assault does occur, they will feel comfortable talking to their family about it. Through these kinds of dialogues youth become aware that sexual violence is preventable and that it’s not their fault if it does happen.

Watch the film at farfromtheheart.com.