TOW #28: The Invisible War Documentary

           The Invisible War is a documentary written and produced by Kirby Dick, and advocator by women and men’s rights who have been raped in the military, that goes behind the scenes of the military to uncover one of its most shameful and most heavily guarded secrets: rape within the United States Military. Although a women may dream of respect, protection, and honor as they join the military, the reality is a wall against justice for many of these women who are raped by other officers. Though many women have tried to get help in this system, they are consistently ignored. Most recently, a lawsuit has been denied with the court ruling that rape is an occupational hazard of military service.  Dick makes a groundbreaking attempt to unveil the truth behind the justice system within the military and the horrors many women face as far as rape and its consequences. With the use of interviews from both sides of the issue and personal stories, The Invisible War attempts to force lawmakers, military officials, and the common civilian to acknowledge the issue and by so doing stimulate change.

By using interviews from both sides of the issue, Dick is able to show that both sides were taken into account and allow the audience to make their own decision as to what is right and wrong. For example, the documentary pictures a military representative talking about what they do to combat rape in the military. They then show to opposing argument from an interview with another expert who claims that these methods are ineffective and simply exist for show. By providing both sides, the documentary is made to seem more objective and allow the audience to interpret the issue as they chose and see a logical side to it. As the documentary allows these choices and personal opinions to be fairly made, the audience, especially army and government officials, become more wholly informed, opinionated, and more likely to spread their own argument.

By adding a series of personal stories, the documentary is able to add a sense of emotion to the issue and make it more connectable for the audience. Showing raw emotion out of real victims is able to make the issue seem more real, dire, and in need of addressing. By revealing the real struggles of many types of victims from various army units to the audience, the vast nature of the problem is also better communicated. By making the public see this issue as more emotional and connecting them to it, the documentary makes a solid attempt to motivate them to stimulate change.