Defending Our Lives is an Oscar® winning documentary about the magnitude and severity of domestic violence in this country. This educational video features four women imprisoned for killing their batterers and their terrifying personal testimonies.

Domestic violence is the single greatest cause of injury to women in America—more than muggings, rapes, and car accidents combined. A woman in the United States is more likely to be killed by her partner than by any other assailant. Sarah Buel, a district attorney, outlines the problem throughout the video - not merely as a member of the criminal justice system, but as a former battered woman. Every person in this documentary is an expert; each has experienced first-hand the terror of domestic violence.

The women in the documentary are members of 'Battered Women Fighting Back!' a grass-roots organization dedicated to exposing domestic violence as a critical human rights violation threatening the majority of the population: women and children. 'Battered Women Fighting Back!' began as a prison support group for battered women who had killed their abusers, and with the support of human rights activist, Stacey Kabat, developed into a community-based task force of over 100 volunteers.

Each of these women tells her own horrific tale of beatings, rape and torture at the hands of her husband or boyfriend. They talk of being stalked, harassed and threatened with death, particularly after attempting to leave their abusive partners. They all testify to the failure of the criminal justice system to protect victims of domestic violence—from unenforced restraining orders, to reluctant law enforcement officials, to the courts' refusal to accept the special nature of their defense. And each woman's frightening account of the cycle of violence resonates with the stories of battered women everywhere.

These women were forced to defend their lives, and this documentary captures the cruel irony of putting them behind bars once they have finally escaped their abusers. They have chosen to share their stories, hoping to inspire creative strategies for ending this violence.

"Defending Our Lives" aims to educate people about domestic violence and to spur legislative and judicial reform. It is appropriate for people working on any aspect of this issue, including general education, legal reform, police training, battered women advocacy, counseling, prosecution and defense, human rights activism and community education.

What they say about "Defending Our Lives"

"I have used this film as a training tool since I started my advocacy days. Despite new options and a plethora of more recently developed training materials available—none are as relevant and powerful. This documentary frames the issues as it must be: a human rights crisis. We cannot afford to lose sight of what is highlighted in this film. Anyone following current events knows that the issue of domestic violence has not been "solved" - we have a long way to go despite our achievements."
Karen McCall, Education Coordinator, A Safe Place NH

"I am so thankful that someone has finally captured the horror of these women's lives on film. This is a 'must-see' film for every legislator in this country."
Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, Chair, Democratic Task Force on Women's Issues New York State Senate

Powerful and moving. Perfect for my classes. Every lawyer, doctor, judge, and DA should see this film."
Jay L. Pottinger, Clinical Professor of Law, Yale Law School

Awards and Screenings

• OSCAR, Academy Award® for Best Documentary Short
• Outstanding Independent Film of the Year, New England Film & Video Festival
• First Prize, Columbus International Film Festival
• The Pass Award, National Council on Crime & Delinquency
• First Place, National Council on Family Relations
• Silver Plaque, Chicago International Film Festival

Festivals:

• Denver International Film Festival
• Seattle International Film Festival
• Edinburgh International Film Festival
• Leipzig International Festival of Documentary & Animation
• Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival
• Rocky Mountain Women's Film Festival
• Women in the Director's Chair International Film and Video Festival

Screenings:

• U.S. Senate
• U.S. House of Representatives
• State Legislatures
• State Attorney Generals' Offices
• Executive Offices of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• The United Nations
• Museum of Modern Art
• Museum of Fine Arts
• National College of District Attorneys Conference
• The American Bar Association

Ordering Information

Running time: 30 minutes.
Available in Spanish.
Price: $185
The price includes public performance rights ( you can show it to a class or at a public event.)
Go to the order page.

Resources & Links

• The California Habeas Project
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline maintains the national hotline 1-800 799 7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) for hearing impaired, lists the statewide coalitions and links to other national organizations addressing domestic violence.
  Address: PO Box 161810, Austin, Texas 78716
• The Battered Women's Justice Project provides resources from the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women and other organizations
  Phone: (800) 903-0111 x3
• Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence provides resources on ending violence in Asian communities
• Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community provides resources about violence in African American communities
• NYC Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project provides information and resources on violence in the gay & lesbian community
  Address: 240 W 35th St., Ste. 200 New York, NY 10001 Phone: (212) 714-1184
• The United States Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, provides resources and information about violence against women including a list of state sexual assault coalitions.
  Address: 810 7th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531. Phone: (202) 307-6026
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is a membership organization dedicated to the empowerment of battered women and their children
  Adress: Public Policy Office, 119 Constitution Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002
  Phone: (202) 544-7893
• The Family Violence Prevention Fund works to prevent violence in the home and the community, maintains a website with resources, current news, information and inks
  Address: 383 Rhode Island St. Suite #304, San Francisco, CA 94103-5133,
  Phone: (800) 595-4889
• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
  Address: 6400 Flank Drive, Suite 1300 , Harrisburg, PA 17112; Phone: (800) 537-2238
• Michigan Battered Women's Clemency Project is branch of a Michigan law firm fighting for clemency for women convicted of murdering their abusers.
• Break the Cycle is a program dedicated to "empowering youth to end domestic violence." They have designed programs for middle and high schoolers that teach adolesents prevention and copping skills surrounding issues of dommestic and sexual violence. Break the Cycle also provides a legal issues program designed to help those currently in a violent and/or unsafe enviornment.
• American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence
• Jane Doe Inc.
• Disability, Abuse & Human Rights Project provides resources for violence against people with disabilites
• Victim Assistance Online, a comprehensive victim assistance site with international listings and links in English
• Mending the Sacred Hoop is a Native American anti violence organization
  Address: 206 West Fourth Street; Duluth, MN 55806; Phone: (218) 722-2781
• The United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, has a Bureau of Justice Statistics which lists information about crime, victimization, prosecution, law enforcement, and the justice system.
• National Network to End Domestic Violence, is a social change organization representing state domestic violence coalitions with resources and links and includes a special section on immigration.
  Address: 660 Pennsylvania Ave, SE, Suite 303, Washington, DC 20003
  Phone: 202-543-5566
• National Center for the Victims of Violent Crime provides resources and publications on crime, victimization, new materials on stalking and many other issues
  2000 M Street NW, Suite 480, Washington, D.C. 20036. Phone: 202-467-8700
• Free Battered Women, formally known as California Coalition for Battered Women in Prison is a grassroots effort to end the 're-victimization' of battered women in prison.
• Safe Horizon
• Community United Against Violence
• NOW (National Organization of Women) and Violence Against Women
• Emerge is an abuser education program founded in 1977 in the United States.
• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse
• Hot Peach Pages, Earth Words Hot Peach Pages has a "Global inventory of hotlines, shelters, refuges, crisis centres and women's organizations, searchable by country, plus index of domestic violence resources in over 70 languages."
• Understanding verbal abuse, an article by Angela Lambert.
• Stop Domestic Violence
• It’s Time to Acknowledge Male Victims of Domestic Violence
• What to Say When You Suspect Someone is Being Abused
• How to Identify and Report Elder Abuse
• How to Recognize Trauma in Children
• Abused Children and Addiction: The Guide to Untangling, Reconnecting, and Building New Futures
• Creating a Safety Plan
• National Substance Abuse Hotline Free & Confidential 24/7 Assistance