Date-rape film examines realities of sexual assault

BY BETH FEINSTEIN-BARTL
NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
Special to The Miami Herald
Miami Herald, FL
March 26, 2006

A woman, wearing a hidden camera, confronts a man she has accused of raping her. When questioned, the man, whose face is partially concealed by a digitally inserted black bar, denies the act took place.

The videotaped confrontation isn't part of a fiction movie and the people aren't actors, however. The harsh reality of the footage was shot by Nancy Schwartzman, a filmmaker from New York who is making a documentary about her experience with date rape while she was living in Jerusalem.

Schwartzman is touring the country showing a 13-minute excerpt of her film. One of her most recent stops was on March 16 at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. Her visit was sponsored by Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach.

The regional center, part of an international Jewish outreach organization for college students, also joined with several on-campus groups to co-sponsor an appearance by Schwartzman earlier that week at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.
Jennifer Kryshka, Broward County program director for Hillel, said she felt it was important that people got to hear Schwartzman's story after reading an article written by the filmmaker for Heeb magazine.

''I was moved by it,'' Kryshka said.

Schwartzman, a founding editor and former creative director for the magazine, said she was assaulted by an acquaintance in 2000. The excerpt shows her returning to Jerusalem to confront the man, seek guidance from a rabbi and reunite with friends. Her narration is compelling and frank.

''I'm always uncomfortable watching it,'' she told the small audience at NSU.
Schwartzman uses graphic descriptions of the act and her own feelings.

''I want to show what victims go through,'' she said. ``I'm trying to tell my story with as much detail as possible.''

The documentary is still a work in progress. Once it is completed, one of the things she wants to do is change the public's perceptions about sexual assaults.

''I think a lot of people still think that rape is something that happens when you walk alone on a dark street and somebody grabs you,'' she said.

In addition to her film, Schwartzman is taking other measures to create more awareness. She founded a website, www.NYC-Safe streets.org, that creates maps to alert pedestrians about safe travel routes.

Schwartzman said she is taping more interviews and raising money to finish the documentary. Listening to responses from audiences during her speaking engagements is also part of the filmmaking process, she said. The comments made by people attending her talk at NSU were helpful.

''They were very open,'' Schwartzman said. ``I thought they were great.''
Schwartzman's appearance was free and open to the community. Kryshka said she would like to do more programs promoting women's safety awareness.

''I've been working with women's issues for a long time and I think it's important these issues are addressed,'' said Kryshka, who also does volunteer outreach work for Planned Parenthood of South Palm Beach and Broward Counties.

Natalie Kline, a grant writer for Planned Parenthood, learned about Schwartzman through Kryshka.

''I wanted to be here because this topic is very important to my organization,'' Kline said. ``I think [Schwartzman] is so brave to talk about something so personal.''
Emily Taffel, an international business major at Nova, listened to Schwartzman with her husband, Frederick Schaper, an insurance underwriter. The couple, from Pompano Beach, said Schwartzman was powerful and honest. The documentary's subject should be discussed more often, Schaper said.

''A lot more men need to hear this,'' he said.

For information on Schwartzman, visit wwwnancyschwartzman.com. For information on Hillel, visit www.hillelcenter.org.