Social Justice Film for May
May Social Justice Film
THE INVISIBLE WAR
directed by Kirby Dick
produced by Amy Ziering
The Social Justice Film for May is The Invisible War, a documentary film directed by Kirby Dick. It was released in 2013 and exposes one of the United States's most shameful and best-kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the military. A female soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire.
2012 Sundance Film Festival -
Audience Award for Best Documentary
2013 Academy Awards Nomination -
Best Documentary Feature
2013 Independent Spirit Awards -
Best Documentary
2013 News and Documentary Emmy Awards -
Best Documentary
2013 News and Documentary Emmy Awards -
Outstanding Investigative Journalism
2013 Peabody Awards -
George Foster Peabody Award
ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY (from Independent Lens - click logo to find out more)
The Invisible War is a groundbreaking investigative documentary about one of America’s most shameful and best kept secrets: the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military. The film, a nominee for the 2013 Academy Awards, paints a startling picture of the extent of the problem: Today, a female soldier in combat zones is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire.
The Department of Defense estimates there were a staggering 22,800 violent sex crimes in the military in 2011. Among all active-duty female soldiers, 20 percent are sexually assaulted. Female soldiers age 18 to 21 accounted for more than half of the victims.
Focusing on the powerfully emotional stories of rape victims, The Invisible War exposes the systemic cover-up of military sex crimes, chronicling the women’s struggles to rebuild their lives and fight for justice. It also features hard-hitting interviews with high-ranking military officials and members of Congress that reveal the perfect storm of conditions that exist for rape in the military, its long-hidden history, and what can be done to bring about much-needed change.