Search for a film:

 

November 20, 2006

Boycott Let's Go To Prison

Protesters Insist PRISON RAPE IS NOT FUNNY

By Andrew

If Borat crosses the line - and what it crosses the line in the name of - is debatable, Let's Go To Prison is not. Even those who aren't big fans of Borat will surely agree - at least it will eclipse this turkey at the box office. It's not only offensive; it's down right stupid.

Over two million people in prison, and this sort of shit is still the popular depiction of prison life.

From Universal Pictures synopsis:

Frankly, we felt obligated to contribute to this genre of filmmaking with our own take on the core issues that inmates routinely face in 2006. While overcrowding and recidivism are topical and vital issues to address, so are other unique themes. In this film, we just happen to have the soap dropping that Steve McQueen never discovered and toilet wine that Dustin Hoffman failed to manufacture in Papillon.

"Obligation? "Unique themes"?! Oh, I get it, irony.

If you're even remotely considering seeing this, do us all a favor and donate the price of admission to Critical Resistance instead. You'll be doing us all - not just activist and prisoners, but yourself - a big favor.

The following was posted at Boston Indymedia, along with great pictures.

Protesters at Opening of 'Lets Go To Prison' Insist PRISON RAPE IS NOT FUNNY
by danni west

Boston, MA November 17th - Disgusted with the advertisement of a bar of soap in a shower stall and the movie it represents, activists, learners, and church leadership from the Unitarian Universalist faith community rallied today at the Lowes Theater, at Boston Commons.

The demonstration was part of a campaign of actions envisioning and advancing toward a moratorium on ALL jail and prison expansion in Massachusetts, and continuing to abolition nationwide. Today though, demonstrators targeted a movie that endorses/encourages/supports sexual assault in prison and makes a joke out of prison rape.

Laura Manning was one of the organizers of today's demonstration and lifts up the message of tonight's rally: "This movie "Let's go to prison" it's making a comedy out of something that is a very serious and real issue. Prison is never funny and rape is never funny. Its really inappropriate that major movie theaters all over this country are playing it and giving folks the idea that this is something to make a joke about, its not."

The group passed out flyers for a large part of this evening's matinee movie show times. Intentionally reaching out to people who had just seen the movie as they were exiting the film to push their experience a little deeper. Seeking issue building dialogue and an opportunity to spread a boycott, they also were targeting people who were going to the movie
theater either to see "Lets Go To Prison" or who had not yet made up their mind about which movie to see.

Demonstrators urged people to dream of the world they wish to live in and to actively work at creating it. "Our culture focuses more on exploiting people rather than on building healthy relationships with one another," Kat Manker-Seale explained. Ze continues: "I'm here tonight because I don't want to live in a society that is accepting of rape."

Demonstrators called for a Boston wide and nation wide boycott of this movie. To everyone across the country they want to encourage you to have conversations within your networks growing the boycott of this movie. If you are really upset or grossed out about the movie, get all of your friends together, go in and tell the manager you are not going to come back to their theater for 3 months because they were showing a film laughing about prison rape. Demonstrators urged people to join the Massachusetts Prison Moratorium, and for people everywhere to observe Critical Resistance's upcoming (December 9th/10th) AMNESTY WEEKEND for Prisoners of Katrina.

BOYCOTT LETS GO TO PRISON

For further information:

www.criticalresistance.org/katrina/

www.stopchicopeejail.com

www.spr.org

From the flyer passed out at the protest
by Jason Lydon

· A recent study of prisons in four midwestern states found that approximately one in five male prisoners reported a pressured or forced sex incident while incarcerated. About one in ten male prisoners reported that that they had been raped.

· Rates for women, who are most likely to be abused by male guards, vary greatly among institutions. In one facility, 27 percent of women reported a pressured or forced sex incident, while in another facility, seven percent of women reported sexual abuse.

· Following an incident of rape, survivors may experience vaginal or rectal bleeding, soreness and bruising, insomnia, nausea, shock, disbelief, withdrawal, anger, shame, guilt, and humiliation. Long-term consequences may include posttraumatic stress disorder, rape trauma syndrome, ongoing fear, nightmares, flashbacks, self-hatred, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and suicide.

· Rates of HIV are five to ten times as high inside of prison as outside, making forced sex - where prevention methods are virtually nonexistent - a deadly proposition.

· Survivors of prison rape are typically among the most vulnerable members of the population in custody. Male survivors are often young, first-time offenders who are small, weak, shy, gay and/or transgender.

· Believing they have no choice, some male prisoners consent to sexual acts to avoid violence. For others, gang rape and other brutal assaults have left them beaten, bloodied, and in rare cases, dead. Often, those who live through the experience are marked as targets for further attacks, eventually forcing survivors to accept long-term sexual enslavement in order to survive. Treated like the perpetrator's property, the survivor may be forced into servitude that includes prostitution arrangements with other male prisoners.

· Among women behind bars, young and mentally ill inmates and first-time offenders are particularly vulnerable to sexual assault by male staff. Male guards have vaginally, anally, and orally raped female prisoners and have abused their authority by exchanging goods and privileges for sex. Male guards are often allowed to watch female inmates when they are dressing, showering, or using the toilet, and some regularly engage in verbal degradation and harassment of women prisoners. Women also report groping and other sexual abuse by male staff during pat frisks and searches.

This happens right here in Massachusetts EVERY DAY!

LEARN MORE AT WWW.SPR.ORG

Back to Top