TRUTH AID http://www.truthaid.org Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:49:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= 2 Days Left to Support Our Kickstarter Campaign http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/2-days-left-to-support-our-kickstarter-campaign/ http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/2-days-left-to-support-our-kickstarter-campaign/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:35:11 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2939 Thank you to all of you who have contributed on our Kickstarter campaign. Thanks to you we have raised over $22,000 and are on course to hit out goal. Check out the latest update from the Oblivion team below which is Update #9 in the Kickstarter campaign:

Using Film to Teach

So how did a doctor exactly start producing films? I get asked this question a lot and my response is always the same. Films are the most efficient way I have found to teach a lot of people about important public health issues.

I stumbled upon this lesson while working on a film called ALL OF US. This was the first film project I had ever worked on. I had no idea what I was doing but I was very passionate about the topic – namely HIV prevention. The film followed me both as a physician and a medical anthropologist while I was researching HIV prevention in African American women’s lives and taking care of patients in the South Bronx.  The film eventually premiered on Showtime Networks and was aired nationally for a two year period.

With its broadcast I learned first hand, that scholarship, backed by a good story is a formula for successful teaching. The film  has been distributed to an audience of over 8 million to date and continues to grow. This far outcompetes the circulation of any academic article I could of ever written – no matter how prestigious of a journal it was published in. So I have been producing films ever since.

Film works, especially if you are concerned with teaching as many people as possible about an important subject. That’s why I decided to become involved in OBLIVION.

This particular narrative, OBLIVION, holds an important lesson for the Ethiopian nation and other countries that struggle with the ways in which old traditions face an ever changing present. Telling this story is important for teaching how new and old ways meet in the modern world. It is also an incredibly important story about how women bring about changes to the problems they face in their life. This particular lesson is applicable to any context and we have thought very carefully how to build on this idea once the film is out.

We have designed an educational curriculum alongside OBLIVION that we intend to use in outreach efforts in Ethiopia where a significant portion of the population is illiterate. Harnessing the power of visual media to teach in this particular setting cannot be overstated. That’s why I am just as excited about the teaching that comes after the release of OBLIVION as I am about making it.

Thank you to all of you who have helped us get a little closer to this goal.

Mehret

 

]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/2-days-left-to-support-our-kickstarter-campaign/feed/ 0 This film chronicles the history of HIV/AIDS in San Francisco. Check it out. http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/this-film-chronicles-the-history-of-hivaids-in-san-francisco-check-it-out/ http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/this-film-chronicles-the-history-of-hivaids-in-san-francisco-check-it-out/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:52:50 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?guid=61966cd98fd89128b74dd565215a7628 WE WERE HERE (trailer) vimeo.com This is the trailer for the documentary WE WERE HERE, produced and directed by David Weissman, with Bill Weber, editor and co-director. http://www.facebook.com/wewerehere http://wewereherefilm.com/ WE WERE HERE had its World Premiere at the Sundance...]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/this-film-chronicles-the-history-of-hivaids-in-san-francisco-check-it-out/feed/ 0 Flying to Ethiopia in Two Hours http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/flying-to-ethiopia-in-two-hours/ http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/flying-to-ethiopia-in-two-hours/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:08:51 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2925 Check out the latest field update from our Oblivion team:

One of the joys of being a director/producer is working with so many talented people. This week, I directed a very cool promo for the CEO of a company called PopTent. I was on the producers team for a tv show in Detroit and I am on my way to Ethiopia to work on casting for OBLIVION. It’s never boring and the challenges are great, but the rewards of meeting those challenges are even greater.

Zee and I have had a great working relationship throughout OBLIVION. I look forward to the casting process. I love working with actors. Having been an actor for many years, I can’t wait to see these talented people coming in and auditioning for these amazing roles. I also look forward to soak in the world of OBLIVION. It is one thing to imagine it from Los Angeles. It is another to actually be there to hear the sights, the sounds, the smells of the film.

Finally, all of this can’t happen without you. We are still far away from our goal and it is your help that has gotten us this far. By spreading the word about our campaign and helping us to reach our kickstarter goal, you will make the world of OBLIVION come alive.

Leelai

]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2012/02/flying-to-ethiopia-in-two-hours/feed/ 0 Blood, Sweat and Tears http://www.truthaid.org/2012/01/blood-sweat-and-tears/ http://www.truthaid.org/2012/01/blood-sweat-and-tears/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:45:25 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2854 Check out the update below from one of the Executive Producers, Francesca Hammerstein, for our film project Oblivion.

Hello from London!

I’m heading to a meeting now with a potential donor to the movie Oblivion so I’m summoning up my most persuasive powers.

It is hard to describe what a labor of love it has been to raise money for this film that we are all so passionate about. I now really understand what they mean when they say something takes your blood, sweat and tears.

Actually… I’m also beginning to know what it means to beg, borrow and steal. I haven’t resorted to stealing yet but watch this space.

When I read articles like the below, however, I feel astonished and a bit proud of how far we have got already. We are 60% of the way there and will still start shooting in April with the money we have already no matter what. It turns out that fundraising for films that don’t fit the current Hollywood template is super bloody HARD. Even for George Lucas apparently:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/magazine/george-lucas-red-tails.html?pagewanted=all

Asking your friends and family for money is a pretty ghastly business yet with this project I’ve discovered I have no shame. I think it is a story that needs to be told. I became involved with the film two years ago and have done two fundraisers at The Box with auctions, one in New York and one in London. A lot of people I know came and bid large sums on prizes and I’m incredibly grateful for that as it has got to us where we are now.

Kickstarter is a whole new thing. If everyone we know gives us $10-$20 we will far exceed our target. This is definitely in the realm of the possible!

Off to try and be charming now – wish me luck.

Francesca

]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2012/01/blood-sweat-and-tears/feed/ 0 Facing Race http://www.truthaid.org/2012/01/facing-race/ http://www.truthaid.org/2012/01/facing-race/#comments Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:04:54 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2845

Listen to Professor Melissa Harris-Perry’s keynote speech on “facing race” in America. The wisdom teaches volumes about race as a social determinant of health.

]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2012/01/facing-race/feed/ 0 Jewcy.com: Lacey Schwartz Gets Outside the Box http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/jewcy-com-lacey-schwartz-gets-outside-the-box/ http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/jewcy-com-lacey-schwartz-gets-outside-the-box/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:33:14 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2805 Jewcy.com did a feature story on our Managing Director, Lacey Schwartz and our new film Outside the Box.

To read the story click here]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/jewcy-com-lacey-schwartz-gets-outside-the-box/feed/ 0 Kickstarter Campaign for Oblivion http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/support-our-kickstarter-film-project/ http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/support-our-kickstarter-film-project/#comments Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:05:15 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2797

Oblivion is a feature length narrative film based on a true story about the legal precedent setting court case that outlawed the practice of abduction for marriage in Ethiopia – also referred to as “telefa”.  It tells the story of a 14-year old girl named Aberash Bekele who was accused of murder after killing the 29-year old man who raped, beat, and abducted her in an attempt to marry her.

Aberash was defending herself but customary practice did not allow it. She was charged with murder by the local police and kept in prison without bail. A female lawyer named Meaza Ashenafi heard about the case and decided to represent Aberash. With the odds stacked against them, these two women fight a drawn out legal battle over a harrowing two year period that turns a new chapter in Ethiopiaʼs history and changes the lives of Ethiopian women forever.

Oblivion will be shot in Ethiopia on 35mm film in Spring of 2012. The film’s spoken language is Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia.

Oblivion has received support from Panavison Cameras, Pipeline Production Support, Ministry of Culture Ethiopia, Julie Mehretu, Jessica Rankin and many other amazing individuals like you.

Check out the teaser]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/support-our-kickstarter-film-project/feed/ 0 New Survey Data on Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/new-survey-data-on-sexual-violence-and-intimate-partner-violence/ http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/new-survey-data-on-sexual-violence-and-intimate-partner-violence/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:20:15 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2734 The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, or NISVS, is one of CDC′s latest public health surveillance systems and is designed to better describe and monitor the magnitude of sexual violence, stalking and intimate partner violence victimization in the United States. It is the first survey of its kind to provide simultaneous national and state-level prevalence estimates of violence for all states. Launched in 2010, NISVS also provides data on several types of violence that have not previously been measured in a national population-based survey. Read more for the key findings:

Key findings in the NISVS 2010 Summary Report include:

For women:

  • High rates of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence were reported by women.
    • Nearly 1 in 5 women has been raped at some time in her life.
    • One in 4 women has been a victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime.
    • One in 6 women has experienced stalking victimization during her lifetime in which she felt very fearful or believed that she or someone close to her would be harmed or killed. Much of stalking victimization was facilitated by technology, such as unwanted phone calls and text messages.
  • Almost 70 percent of female victims experienced some form of intimate partner violence for the first time before the age of 25.
  • Approximately 80 percent of female victims of rape were first raped before age 25.
  • Female victims of violence (sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence) were significantly more likely to report physical and mental health problems than female non–victims.
  • Across all forms of violence (sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence), the vast majority of victims knew their perpetrator (often an intimate partner or acquaintance and seldom a stranger).

For men:

  • About 1 in 7 men has experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime.
  • One in 19 men has experienced stalking victimization at some point during their lifetime in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.
  • Almost 53 percent of male victims experienced some form of intimate partner violence for the first time before age of 25
  • More than one-quarter of male rape victims were first raped when they were 10 years old or younger.
  • Male victims of violence (sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence) were significantly more likely to report physical and mental health problems than male non-victims.

Dating Violence

  • 1 in 10 teens have been physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend in the last year. [1]
  • Women age 20 to 24 experience the highest rates of dating and domestic violence. [2]
  • 22% of college women have been victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse or threats of physical violence. [3]

Sexual Assault

  • Over 11% of high school girls report having been physically forced to have sexual intercourse. [4]
  • 19% of women reported experiencing completed or attempted sexual assault since entering college.
  • 84% of the college women who reported a sexual assault experienced the incident during their freshman or sophomore years.
  • 85% of victims were assaulted by someone they knew, usually a fellow student. [5]

[1] Eaton, D. K., Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S., Ross, J., Hawkins, J., et al. (2010). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance- United States 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , 1-148.

[2] Special analysis of National Crime Victimization Survey data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Rand, M. 2009. Criminal Victimization, 2008. U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Baum, K., Catalano, S., & Rand, M. (2009). Stalking Victimization in the United States. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics.

[3] Krebs, C, Lindquist, C., Warner, T., Fisher, B, Martin, S.  December, (2007).  The Campus Sexual Assault Study.  National Institute of Justice.

[4] Eaton, D. K., Kann, L., Kinchen, S., Shanklin, S., Ross, J., Hawkins, J., et al. (2010). Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance- United States 2009. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , 1-148.

[5] Krebs, C, Lindquist, C., Warner, T., Fisher, B, Martin, S.  December, (2007).  The Campus Sexual Assault Study.  National Institute of Justice.

Coming soon

 

]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/new-survey-data-on-sexual-violence-and-intimate-partner-violence/feed/ 0 Wow. Bad news for reproductive health. http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/wow-bad-news-for-reproductive-health/ http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/wow-bad-news-for-reproductive-health/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:17:20 +0000 syndicated author http://www.truthaid.org/?guid=bc7e1305614458599ff05cf525dc4f37 In Astounding Move, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Overrules FDA Recommendation to Make Plan B Over www.rhrealitycheck.org In what can only be called an astounding move by an Administration that pledged on inauguration day that medical and health decisions would be based on fact not ideology and for which women are a major constituency, today Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services ...]]> http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/wow-bad-news-for-reproductive-health/feed/ 0 World AIDS Day is Everday http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/world-aids-day-is-everday/ http://www.truthaid.org/2011/12/world-aids-day-is-everday/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:01:09 +0000 Truth Aid http://www.truthaid.org/?p=2726 It’s that time of year again. What are you doing for World AIDS Day 2011?

Here are some options:

1. Learn something new about HIV. Check out these articles for starters.

  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-15946803
  • http://www.thebody.com/content/64865/when-condoms-aint-enuf–what-to-do-with-a-sex-phob.html
  • http://www.thebody.com/content/64875/eliminating-hivaids-how-well-get-to-zero.html

2. Encourage someone you love to get tested or better yet – go get tested your self.

3. Consider volunteering at your local AIDS service organization

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