The Conspiracy of Silence

This article is about a PBS documentary. For other related topics, see Outline of domestic violence.

The Conspiracy of Silence
Directed by	Neal Marshad Donna Olson
Produced by	Neal Marshad Donna Olson
Written by	Neal Marshad Donna Olson
Narrated by	Kathleen Turner
Cinematography	Neal Marshad
Edited by	Neal Marshad Donna Olson
Running time	50 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Part of a series on
Violence against women
Issues
Acid throwing Breast ironing Bride burning Dating abuse Domestic violence outline management and pregnancy Dowry death Eve teasing Honor killing Female genital mutilation Gishiri cutting Infibulation Female infanticide Femicide Foot binding Force-feeding Forced abortion Forced marriage Forced pregnancy Forced prostitution Human trafficking Murder of pregnant women Raptio Sati Violence against prostitutes
Sexual assault and rape
Sexual violence Sexual assault Campus sexual assault Mass sexual assault Rape and pregnancy laws Types of rape by deception corrective date gang genocidal in war marital prison statutory Sexual slavery
Related topics
Prosecution of gender-targeted crimes

The Conspiracy of Silence is a documentary TV film that was broadcast three times on PBS in the United States in 1995 and 1996. The title is formed from the assumption that there is a conspiracy of silence that surrounds domestic violence. The abuser has an unspoken pact with the victim to stay silent about the crimes committed and in return the victim believes this lack of action will result in the avoidance of further violence.

Directed and written by Neal Marshad and Donna Olson, this documentary won the Silver Award at WorldFest Houston in 1996 Film & Video Production: Women's Issues, and an Honorable Mention in 1996 Columbus International Film & Video Festival: Health & Medicine.

The film focuses on the efforts of one organization located in East Hampton, New York called the Retreat. Its goal is to help battered women and their children with safe shelter and counseling. With on-camera scenes featuring actress Kathleen Turner and Denise Brown (the sister of Nicole Brown Simpson), The Conspiracy of Silence cuts through social class, economic privilege and racial lines to demonstrate that domestic violence is not limited to a certain group and that there is no standard profile for the abuser or the abused. The film is narrated by Kathleen Turner and features Southampton, New York judge Deborah Kooperstein. This film outlines the problem of domestic violence clearly and concisely and provides the model for meaningful and workable solutions.

ISBN 978-1-55981-511-6

See also

• Defending Our Lives, a short documentary
• Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America', a documentary about domestic violence and the community-based Duluth Model to reduce domestic violence
• Silent Voices, a United Kingdom documentary
• Sin by Silence, a documentary

External links

• A Hamptons Setting For a Film on Abuse, article by Barbara Delatiner. New York Times . New York, N.Y.: Oct 22, 1995. pg. LI8, 1 pg
• The Conspiracy of Silence at the Internet Movie Database
• The Conspiracy of Silence on YouTube