Breaking the Silence around Sexual Assault

Sexual assault, abuse and rape cross all cultural and religious boundaries. The Muslim community is no exception. Muslim communities throughout America, made up of cultures that stigmatize the very mention of sex-related subjects, suffer from widespread sex abuse.  The proliferation of sex abuse is further propagated by the fact that when instances occur, they are often kept secret – either by the victim or the victim’s family. The perpetrator is almost never confronted.

Breaking Silence will be the first of its kind in documenting American Muslim women’s stories about their experiences in coping, coming out to their families and friends, and their insight about the change that needs to take place to help survivors, punish perpetrators, and prevent recurrences.

Watch our fundraising video and our official trailer or watch our trailer by clicking the image below:

Changing the Community from Within

There is no official or substantial body of statistics on reported sexual assault in the Muslim community due to the cultural and social consequences of coming forward. Even more alarming, many victims do not  come forward to their immediate families, keeping silent about their experiences and enduring re-traumatization when interacting with their assaulters who are often family members or close family friends. There has not been a concerted movement or effort to help the Muslim community recognize that this issue exists at a large scale, and to subsequently begin addressing it.

Change is always most effective when it comes from within. This film will be a driver of such change. By exposing the realities of sexual assault and rape with women opening up on camera, the community will be forced to face the issue head on. Oftentimes, perpetrators of sexual assault commit these acts with impunity as the hush-hush mentality surrounding sexual assault in the Muslim community decreases the likelihood that they will be confronted. With this film, parents will be forced to consider the idea that their own children may have been victims who remained silent, while offenders will be reminded that their actions have real consequences.

Rewards

Please donate to our film! 

Backer: If you donate $1 or more you will get a personal email expressing thanks!

Supporter: If you donate $10 or more you will get a shoutout on our Facebook page and a personal email expressing thanks! 

Advocate: If you donate $25 or more you will get your name featured on our website, a shoutout on our Facebook page and a personal email expressing thanks! 

Defender: If you donate $50 or more you will get a digital download of the film, your name featured on our website, a shoutout on our Facebook page and a personal email expressing thanks!  

Silence Breaker: If you donate above $100 you will receive a Breaking Silence t-shirt and bumper sticker, a digital download of the film, your name featured on our website, a shoutout on our Facebook page and a personal email expressing thanks!

Silence Shatterer: If you donate $250+, you will have your name in the film credits, a Breaking Silence t-shirt and bumper sticker, a digital download of the film, your name featured on our website, a shoutout on our Facebook page and a personal email expressing thanks!

Executive Producer: If you donate $1000+, you will be an Executive Producer! And will receive a Breaking Silence t-shirt and bumper sticker, a digital download of the film, your name featured on our website, a shoutout on our Facebook page and a personal email expressing thanks!

Our Needs and How You Can Help

In October of 2014, we successfully raised $15,000 on Kickstarter for this project. This money was used to fund rewards, a production team (including camera, sound, and light people), and several weeks of an editor. However, these funds have now been exhausted.

We were also lucky enough to receive two grants: One $2,500 grant from HEART Women and Girls, as well as a $3,000 grant from the Third Wave Mobilize Power Fund.  We are in the process of applying for more grants, but decisions and grant-distribution is a several-months process. We hope to finish the film as soon as possible, which is why we are hoping that you can help by donating! 

The production of this film has taken longer than anticipated because we either work full-time or are full-time students. So much of this team has volunteered their time, effort and skills to finish this film. 

With the right amount of funding, we hope to be done by Summer 2016. 

We need additional money to fund:

1. OUR ANIMATOR! We have now added animation to the film!

2. An editor for several more weeks

3. 2 to 3 additional b-roll shoots

4. Color-correction, sound engineering, composing and other post-production tasks

5. Legal fees

6. Distribution

Thanks to the generosity of Act of Goodwill, Inc., all donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

We also need help:

Spreading the word! Please share our campaign with your friends, family, colleagues, and on social media! When sharing on social media, please reference our Facebook Page @BreakingSilence and our Twitter handle @BreakngSilence and use these hashtags: #BreakingSilence #BreakingSilenceTheFilm #NoMoreSexualAssault.