April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. To help foster awareness of sexual assault, Dixie Regional Medical Center — in conjunction with DOVE Center, Dixie State University, and Washington County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition — will screen the documentary “The Hunting Ground.” The film will be shown on April 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the SelectHealth Auditorium at 1434 E. Foremaster Drive and is free to the public. Information, referrals, and prevention education resources will be offered, and light refreshments will be served.
Chosen by the Utah Film Critics Association as the best documentary of 2015, the film reports on the widespread issues concerning campus rape and the aftermath victims face as they come forward.
“The sobering stories and statistics that this film reveals should be mandatory education for our young men and women,” said Elizabeth Bluhm, DOVE Center Rape and Sexual Assault Advocacy Coordinator. “We made an investment to secure the rights to screen this film because we feel it’s a vital message for our community.”
Bluhm and her colleagues in victim advocacy strongly encourage parents to teach daughters and sons about the realities of sexual assault.
“I think the important message of the film, that we echo in our prevention education, is blame does not lie with the victim. We need to have discussions about consent and recognize that our children are being bombarded with messages that tell them it’s OK to just take what you want. The message that ‘force is a turn on’ undermines the value of empathy and common decency.”
“Some people don’t understand that our community is just as affected as others,” said Sherri Gerry, chairman of the Washington County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalition. “Sadly our statistics are a bit higher than the national average, and many people find this hard to believe. I understand their disbelief. I was equally as troubled when I saw the statistics.”
An additional screening of “The Hunting Ground” will be held on the DSU campus on April 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Eccles Main Stage Theater. The campus screening will be followed by a panel discussion.
