The Documentary
DonateAbuse experienced at the hand of intimate partners is the most common type of violence, and the leading cause of death among South African women. The endless high profile murders of women, and the excessive brutality of these murders, remind us daily of the enormous vulnerability of women generally. We need to constantly be exploring this and a documentary is an accessible medium to ask the hard questions.
Meet
The Documentary Team
Beyond our Voices
Lesedi Job, Natasha Sutherland and Tracy Going are working to make a documentary about domestic violence. It is here they intend to explore the intersection between violence, vulnerability and the overall historical, generational & societal abuse of women.
Lesedi Job
Lesedi is a theatre director, storyteller, actress and voiceover artist. She has contributed as a director to the Nairobi Theatre Initiative and the international Geneva Peace Week. Her directorial debut was Mike van Graan’s When Swallows Cry at the Market Theatre for which she won a Naledi Theatre Award for Best Director. She has also directed amongst others Meet me at Dawn, Congo the Trial of King Leopold ii, Dead Poet Society, and Brutal Legacy. She received the Sophie Mgcina Emerging Voice award and a Fleur du Cap nomination for Best New Director.
Natasha Sutherland
Natasha is a producer, director, playwright, award winning actress, and best selling author. She uses her academic background in Logotherapy to bring stories to life in a somewhat unconventional manner. Logotherapy is based on Victor Frankl’s premise that if the primary motivational force of an individual is to find a meaning in life then it follows that this facet can be utilized in the healing of trauma, depression and crisis. Natasha applies this insight and understanding to her storytelling, writing, play adaptations, blogs and public speaking.
Tracy Going
Tracy is a former TV and Radio news anchor, best remembered as the founding anchor of Morning Live on SABC2. She has penned three books, including two award-winning children’s cookbooks, and has contributed two essays to The Lockdown Chronicles. Her bestselling memoir, Brutal Legacy, long listed for the Alan Paton award in 2019, is an unflinching account of her survival and healing from domestic violence. Brutal Legacy was adapted into a theatre production at Theatre on the Square in Sandton, Johannesburg to much acclaim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are we producing the documentary?
Abuse experienced at the hand of intimate partners is the most common type of violence, and the leading cause of death among South African women. But the abuse starts in the home. It is behind closed doors that women face the most violence; alone with the perpetrator, and at their most vulnerable.
1 in 5 SA women is a victim of DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
We owe it to the abused women of our country to do something. We cannot allow silence to fill the vacuum. Ignoring is no longer an option. We need to explore the origins of violence and how we can change the brutal legacy that women face. We need to keep the conversation going. We need to keep talking so that there is sustained engagement, awareness and understanding in order to bring about a lasting change, and ultimately a permanent shift in attitude and behaviour.
What is the documentary about?
Natasha Sutherland, Lesedi Job and Tracy Going have come together to explore the intersection between male violence, female vulnerability and the historical, generational and societal abuse of women. Using Tracy’s intimate and deeply personal domestic violence story as a thread, her story will be deconstructed by delving deep into the past so as to explore and question the future in order to create a new life and understanding of self. By interviewing experts and psychologists insight will be gained into the inherited patterns of abuse, the endless cycle of violence: from the early warning signs, from why they are ignored, excused or diffused, to the first realisation of danger, fear and the escalating violence. This documentary is the journey of the victim. It is the quest of the survivor.
Why is it important to get behind the project?
We can no longer ignore that women, and other victims of abuse, live in constant fear of violation and abuse, and die daily at the hands of their abusers. We need to explore the origins of these unprecedented levels of violence against particularly, women. A documentary, a visual storytelling medium with unlimited reach, is a powerful tool to provide insight into the dynamics of abuse. It is only by sharing these insights and findings that we can hope to bring about any lasting change and create a safer place for women.
How can I help?
Help us raise the funds to make a documentary offering insight to those who are too afraid to leave, those who have left, or those considering leaving. Help victims of domestic violence to find the courage to face another tomorrow; a safe, different tomorrow.
Domestic violence destroys families but it also comes at a hefty price to society. It affects individuals, immediate and generational families, and broader communities. But mostly it affects our children.
Help us help those who need it most.
For EFT donations, our bank account details are:
Account Name: Beyond Our Voices NPC
Bank: Standard Bank
Account Number: 10130208173
Branch Code: 051001
Swift Code: SBZA ZAJJ
Please contact us at info@beyondourvoices.com if you have any queries on how to contribute.
You can also enter your pledge below and someone will be in touch to confirm. Thank you!
Let’s make it happen
There are numerous options available to make a donation to support our fund-raising initiatives which include the research & production of a documentary on domestic violence. This is an opportunity to be a part of the solution.
Contact us on +27 71 731 6061 or email at info@beyondourvoices.com
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