ZDF 37 Grad, 2013, 30 minutes
Rape is a felony. It is the most extreme and brutal form of sexual violence. And yet, year in, year out, thousands of girls and women are raped in Germany. By a stranger in the park or in a dark underground garage, but mainly by their husband, neighbor, or boyfriend.
Three women who have suffered a terrible event are the courageous protagonists of our “37 Grad” film. Tina, Jasmin, and Petra’s experiences differ – they were attacked in public or within the relationship, they went to the police or remained silent. They have been through something terrible, have been left with physical and emotional injuries.
Silence protects the perpetrators. That is why they are talking about their experiences, because they want to publicly condemn this crime. They are fighting back, because they want to lead normal lives. They want to find closure. Each of them in her own manner: The course these three women are taking is a very personal one. Their experiences vividly show what deep effects sexual violence has on women’s lives, but also what cliches, preconceptions and “rape myths” this topic is fraught with.