The Hunting Ground
Payton Scudieri
Thesis
The 2015 film and documentary "The Hunting Ground" achieved its purpose of educating and sharing the truth about rape on college campus by using survivor stories, sharing gut wrenching statistics and showing the harsh reality of how universities handle rape and sexual assault attacks.
Further Into The Purpose
"The Hunting Ground" is a film that exposes the dark, eerie and unsettling reality of American universities and what goes on within them. It uncovers the corrupt and unforgiving system buried (or maybe, in plain sight) in campuses around the country. The films purpose was not only to revel the sickening way colleges handle rape and sexual assault cases but also to share victims (living or not) stories and horrible experiences through this system. The end of the film also acted as a call to action to students every where to do whatever they can do to put a stop to rape on campus and to put a stop to perpetrators seemingly unpunished freedoms.
The Firsthand Accounts
One way the film achieved its purpose and goal was through the exploration of personal, heartbreaking and real stories by the victims of rape and sexual assault themselves. The film introduced many female and male victims of college campus rape and each one shared their story. Some were a quick account of the attack, others were full and complete journeys with the entire event outlined. All were tales of hurt, pain and no justice. The film involved us, the audience, in these stories and made us see that these unfair and disturbing accounts happen too often in our own country and even our own state. Some even shared the experiences of anxiety, depression, self harm and suicide.
The Tragic (But Very Real) Statistics
Another way the film reached its purpose was through the cold hard facts. "1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted while in college". "Approximately 20% of female students will be sexually assaulted during their time at college." These bring upsetting numbers into the reality of sexual assault on campus. These statistics among many more showed in the film help to put in perspective the main points and ultimately help to express the purpose.
The Reality Of How Rape Is Handled
Finally, the film uses real events of how rape and sexual assault has been handled on campus to highlight the purpose of the film. Nearly all of the stories of assault all end the same way; the attacker did not get any punishment and remained at school or was given a very small punishment that is not even near what should've happened. Most staff and university leaders disregarded rape and assault accusations and intentionally covered up the ordeal in order to keep the colleges record and image clean and to continue to draw in students every year. The way these campuses handle assault is miniscule or nonexistent. This drives in the purpose of the film; to expose and educate.
Conclusion
"The Hunting Ground" was an extremely upsetting film. I have always been interested in the events that go on behind the scenes on campus and have written numerous papers on rape on college grounds. The documentary had a large impact on me as the topic is too close to home for a female who plans on attending college. The film was influential, overwhelming and mind boggling.