Women’s Aid Organisation short film accepted into world’s largest human rights film festival

Press release, 26 February 2015

Women’s Aid Organisation’s (WAO) short film, Survivor’s Speak Up: Domestic Violence in Malaysia, has been accepted to be screened at One World 2015, an international human rights documentary film festival. Organised for the 17th year running, the festival is the largest human rights film festival in the world.

WAO’s 18-minute film tells the moving stories of three Malaysian women affected by domestic violence. The women and their families endured abuse for years, until one day, they decided to speak up.

Sally Wangsawijaya of Women’s Aid Organisation said, “Domestic violence knows no boundaries–that’s why we’re so excited that our film has been selected for such a prestigious global event.”

“The stories in the video, selflessly shared by domestic violence survivors, provide a glimpse of what it’s like for survivors. It sends the message that the fight against domestic violence is a community effort,” Wangsawijaya added.

The film illustrates that domestic violence cases, often unseen or unheard, can remain unresolved or neglected due to inaction by enforcement agencies. The film also illustrates that when action is taken, it can help a woman in crisis to be protected.

Survivor’s Speak Up had earlier been selected to be screened at One World’s partner festival in Malaysia: The Freedom Film Festival, organised by Pusat KOMAS.

One World 2015 features various topics related to human rights such as mental health, education, environmental justice, and evidence of human rights violations, among others. The festival will take place in Prague from 2 to 11 March 2015 and subsequently in 33 other Czech cities.

This video can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvoK75WzHHY###

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) provides shelter, social work, and counseling services for domestic violence survivors and advocates for women’s human rights. Call our counselling line at 03 7956 3488 or SMS TINA at 018 988 8058 if you or someone you know is experiencing abuse. Together, we change lives.