Readers of the controversial Alice Sebold rape memoir Lucky may be reminded of key concepts in Loud Enough, particularly that of "re-victimization." As laws and attitudes stand survivors who report sexual violations and assaults face a second ordeal, inflicted by an overcautious-to-apathetic judicial system that fails to grasp what these crimes entail.
The case under scrutiny here is that of 19-year-old Kansas college freshman Madison Smith. An initially consensual sexual encounter with a male fellow student in 2018 suddenly turned violent and vicious, and the battered girl reported the act to Bethany College Authorities (who, to their credit, expelled the guy). But a county attorney declined to bring criminal charges—even with a confession by the perpetrator (who said he thought Madison would find strangulation "kinky" fun, the way he did).
"Immature sex" was the opinion, and that taking the case to trial would be a waste of time. Justin Boardman and Julie Germann, two victim's-rights crusaders from the legal world, specializing in rape cases, were outraged and took up the Smith family's cause, entering a bureaucratic maze of petition filings and stallings.
Spoiler—the narrative arc will not please viewers who are won over by the sincerity of the heroine and her family (no advocates on the other end of the bench are heard from). But filmmaker Hilary Klotz Steinman does excellent work using the story as an opportunity to lay out lucidly such ideas as "revoked consent" (willing sex that abruptly turns unwilling; though the documentary never cites it, these were troublesome components in charges against Kobe Bryant and William Kennedy Smith) that have made such complaints torturous to prosecute—and, of course, put the plaintiff through agony of reliving the crime via testimony, again and again.
Future viewers may also, unintentionally, have an album snapshot of the double-whammy of seeking grassroots justice for a wronged woman during the era of COVID lockdown quarantine. It entails the Smiths having to maintain social distancing and hearings convened remotely, on top of an already-maddening situation of a system that Just Doesn't Get It.
What public library shelves would this title be on?
Criminal-justice-oriented shelves (true crime included) are on the docket. Women's issues, especially in the aftermath of the "Me Too" movement, are a natural fit. The Kansas angle should be noted by libraries in that territory.
What academic subjects would this film be suitable for?
Law and judicial-oriented courses should take the witness stand, with public-policy-related ones also interested parties. Women's studies, Social Work, and gender issues can also be used as testimony.
What type of classroom would this documentary resource be suitable for?
Raw language and adult-sexuality themes throughout make this a cautious choice for high-school-level viewing, though the issues raised are doubtless vital for the age demographic (and their parents).
What is the pricing for this documentary from Women Make Movies?
- DVD: $395 (Universities and Institutions)
- DVD: $295 (Community Colleges)
- DVD: $89 (K-12 Schools)
- Digital Streaming Rights: $395 (Colleges)
- Digital Streaming Rights: $89 (K-12 Schools)
- Bundles for DVD and Digital Streaming are available