[1]Screenshot from one of the short films depicting the impact of sexual harassment on women. Source: YouTube
A recent campaign challenged young male filmmakers to reflect on sexual harassment and the urgent need to stop it. The result is the production of more than a dozen short films exposing the scourge of sexual harassment and its negative impact on victims and society at large.
Behind the campaign [2] was CARE, an international NGO that does advocacy work in Cambodia. CARE launched #WhyStop activities across Cambodia encouraging men to understand why sexual harassment must stop, and that they have a direct role in ending violence against women.
CARE chose [3] 16 short films made by filmmakers aged 16 to 29 that send [4] a clear and powerful message about stopping sexual harassment. Here’s a preview of some of these films.
‘7 colors underwear’
‘7 colors underwear’ is by 18-year old Khan Khav from Battambang. The film, selected by CARE as the best entry [5] in the #WhyStop campaign, tells the story of a top achiever in school who stopped going to classes after experiencing sexual harassment:
‘One touch’
This film by Stephen Row from the capital city of Phnom Penh narrates the tragic story of a student and waitress who is sexually molested by a professor. The film ends with this message [6]: “One touch can change everything.”
‘The day it happened’
This film by 16-year old Long Sovitou is about a teenager who is traumatized [7] after being harassed in a café:
‘Your 7 reasons’
Thong Phynuch’s film explains [1] the meaning of sexual harassment and mentions seven reasons why men should support the campaign to end gender violence:
‘Pain’
Chea Sideith’s film tackles the effect of sexual violence in the workplace [8]:
‘Oudom’
The film ‘Oudom’ features a teenager son reading a letter [9] of his deceased father reminding him to respect women in society:
‘If she's your sister’
And finally, this film by Run Sokheng is about two students who realized [10] their mistake when one of their classmates told them to think about their sisters when they are harassing their female friends.