Livingston screening & discussion tackles “boys will be boys” rape culture
Join ASPEN and fellow community members on Thursday, August 22nd, for a screening of true crime thriller Roll Red Roll at Livingston’s Shane Lalani Center for the Arts. A post-screening talk will discuss solutions and preventative measures to address the issues presented in the film, as well as ways to end the perpetuation of rape culture in our community. Beginning at 7pm, this evening event is free and open to the public.
Filmed also as an impact campaign, Roll Red Roll goes behind the headlines of the notorious Steubenville, Ohio rape case to uncover the deep-seated and social media-fueled “boys will be boys” culture at the root of high school sexual assault in America. The film unflinchingly asks, why didn’t anyone stop it? The impact campaign engages communities around the nation to answer this question for themselves, creating opportunities, tools and pathways for men and boys to challenge ingrained thinking about masculinity and explore their leadership potential in the fight against gender-based violence.
Roll Red Roll shifts the lens and burden from the victim to the perpetrators, bystanders, witnesses, and communities to understand and address the problem. By examining harmful notions of masculinity, the film shines a light on “rape culture” – a culture that allows sexual assault to be normalized and dismissed. At the heart of this film and campaign, a national dialogue is being opened that engages men and boys including fathers, coaches, and teens, to get involved in the work to prevent violence and shift culture.
As both an educational tool and a catalyst for social and behavioral change, Roll Red Roll is uniquely poised to incite critical conversations with students, thought leaders and grassroots activists working to eliminate gender violence. Director Nancy Schwartzman, a globally recognized human rights activist, has been using film and technology to transform the culture around gender-based violence for over 10 years.
Never have we been so primed for this conversation. Learn more about the film and watch the trailer at www.rollredrollfilm.com.
ASPEN (Abuse Support & Prevention Education Network) serves the residents of Park, Sweet Grass, and Meagher Counties of Montana, but also extends its services to anyone in a situation of domestic or sexual violence who are fleeing an abusive situation and need assistance. These services include an emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, crisis counseling, support groups, legal advocacy, information and referrals, safety planning, emergency 911 phones, assistance with Orders of Protection and/or law enforcement reporting, forensic medical exam support, and community outreach and educational programs. Learn more at www.aspenmt.org. •