The power of The Hunting Ground lies in the first-person testimonies.
In the UK, this situation is not quite so stark, but as academics are increasingly expected to market themselves and their institutions at every turn, there is a danger that protecting the reputation of the brand becomes more important than protecting people. Yet The Hunting Ground chillingly reveals the extent to which, in a market economy where brand is everything and higher education funding is overly dependent on an old boy network of successful alumni, rape allegations are an exercise in reputation management. University campuses are not the only places where sexual harassment is an everyday occurrence, but given the relatively enclosed nature of university campuses – combined with the focus on education – they should be places where this institutional sexism can be effectively challenged. According to the authors of the report: “This kind of behaviour – which includes groping, flashing and unwanted sexual comments – has become almost ‘everyday’ for some women students.” The NUS’s 2010 report Hidden Marks found that one in seven women had experienced a serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student and 68% of students had experienced verbal or non-verbal harassment in and around their institution. Research by the UK’s National Union of Students suggests this is by no means a peculiarly American problem. In the military and on college campuses, the duo have uncovered an epidemic of sexual violence, primarily against women, exclusively perpetrated by men. Their previous film, The Invisible War, is an Emmy-award winning investigation into rape in the US military. Oscar nominated filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering – who are touring the UK with the film – are no strangers to the topic of institutional sexism. It asks difficult questions about how women have been failed by image-conscious college authorities. The Hunting Ground focuses on rape and sexual assault on US campuses and gives voice to victims and survivors. A powerful documentary about rape is touring UK universities.