Interview: Olivia Klaus Films Domestic Violence Victims Imprisoned by Silence

When I was growing up, my mom's friends always assumed I'd end up a lawyer. It makes sense that a smart girl with a passion for justice might choose to fight for equality through legal means; however, disillusionment with the criminal (in)justice system quickly set in when I learned that many women in prison for murder are there because they killed their abuser. The courts simply refuse to see long-term physical and emotional trauma at the hands of another person as a justification for self-defense. As I recently told my mom's boss, "You have to believe the system works in order to fight within it, and I believe our system is broken beyond repair."

Filmmaker Olivia Klaus doesn't share my cynicism. But she does share my passion to advocate for systemic change. Her film Sin by Silence documents the stories of several women imprisoned in the California Institution for Women who participate in Convicted Women Against Abuse (CWAA), a group "created in 1989 to help women inside prison break the silence about abuse and learn more about what they need to do to help others stop the cycle of violence." I spoke with Klaus about the impact her film is having on the rights of these imprisoned women.

How did you come to make this film?

When I started this journey, I never intended to make a film. I intended to help a friend who had finally opened up about what was happening in her marriage. Until then, domestic violence was a problem that happened to other people. My mind started racing for ways to fix things, yet I realized I was completely helpless. I had no answers and no solutions, but knew I had to do something!

What started as a journey to help a friend transformed into an effort to help many. I learned about CWAA from my colleague Elizabeth Leonard, author of Convicted Survivors, and I learned more from the women of CWAA than any textbook could teach me. They are the real experts on the issues of abusive relationships; they lived, breathed, and survived violence. And what better way to reach people's hearts and minds than through the power of film?!

Your film mentions the link between the violence these women experienced at the hands of their abusers and the violence inflicted upon them by the state through incarceration. Can you talk about how the two are connected?

The women in Sin by Silence replaced the prison of their abusive relationship with an actual prison of incarceration. It has been estimated that up to 80% of female prisoners have suffered from some form of abuse prior to incarceration. These women experienced abuse in their childhood, dating relationships, and on through their marriage; now they continue to be abused by an unjust system.

Do they see CWAA as a form of resistance?

The women in CWAA decided to not let the system get the best of them. These women gather to talk, empower, and uplift one another in order to make progress toward the redemption of healing. As the first inmate-initiated and led group in the California prison system, CWAA tries to make change in a system that does not recognize the intricacies of an abusive relationship, and over the past two decades, they have changed laws for battered women and raised awareness for those on the outside.

What do you want viewers to get from this film?

If these women are able to overcome the odds of abuse and go beyond prison walls to change laws, then we can definitely do something to make a difference out here! The title of my film comes from an Abraham Lincoln quote: “to sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards of men.” We must protest the actions that cause domestic violence because, sadly, it isn't going away anytime soon. It's our duty protest and have those vital conversations that create environments for victims to feel comfortable enough to ask for help.

What can people do to support women who are in prison for killing their abusers?

As part of the film’s campaign, we are vigorously working to get the women of CWAA released, but it is definitely an uphill battle. Those who join our Facebook page will be alerted to when there are support letters needed or petitions to sign, like the current one to help Glenda Crosley.

There are great organizations like the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women that help thousands of victims of domestic violence behind bars across the country. Every state’s laws are different and your state may not have legislation in place to help incarcerated battered women. So, contact your local and state representatives to encourage them to sponsor and pass legislation in your state. Tell them they can model their legislation after California Penal Code 1473.5, which gives inmates the chance to present previously unheard evidence of domestic violence pertaining to their cases. Silence is a core problem to the issue of domestic violence, and starting conversations can eventually save lives!

Photo credit: ghetto_guera29