Kirby Dick's Film The Invisible War

Sixty-five years after President Truman signs the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act more than 200,000 women are serving in the military. These women are engaged in real combat and experience the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion like every soldier out there. But what’s more is that in the first three quarters of the fiscal year of 2013 3,553 sexual assault complaints were reported to the Defense Department. Of these, only one hundred and seventy-five of the alleged attackers were criminally charged. All of these numbers have been complied and given meaning through Kirby Dicks’ film The Invisible War. As a director Dick has been nominated for both the Academy and Emmy Awards for best documentary director. Like most of his films, The Invisible War does not fail to capture the real untold stories of those who face conflict. Released June 22, 2012 the film reached thousands and even stirred up the creation of NotInvisible.org, a website dedicated to changing the laws through a petition to congress. Nevertheless this film depicts the real war women who serve face every day and the justice they never see.

At first the film triumphs in everything that the military offers people worldwide. In a short turn of events the film uses disturbing personal experiences to exemplify and expose sexual assault in the military. The film follows Kori Cioca, Jessica Hinves, Ariana Klay, Trina McDonald, Elle Helmer, Hannah Sewell, Myla Haider, and Michael Matthews who all were victims of sexual assault while on active duty. As their stories unfold what is alarmingly present and similar is the militaries lack of acknowledgment and search for justice for these victims. For the most part the film focused on Kori Cioca whose story was, in my o...

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... can give back what the attackers took from these victims, but what is possible is to give them justice. Our culture needs to separate from the usual ideals and take a stance on this issue. Instead of looking the other way there needs to be more media attention regarding this case. Rape culture needs to be put to a stop and maybe that first step is acknowledging this film and others that regard the rights of women. As we have learned in class during discussions is that rape victims are afraid to speak out for multiple reasons. Just imagine the number of victims in the military that have not spoken out because the person they should tell is either their attacker or the friend of their attacker. As a society we have an obligation to the people who sacrifice their lives to fight for the rest of us. We should be the ones giving them a voice and making them more visible.