Otherwise a Woman has you walk in the shoes of a victim of sexual harassment. From finger pointing and stigma associated, to the process of reporting, to crippling depression and anxiety it imposes. We hope to bring insight into the effect it has on an individual, from the perspective of the victim.
Otherwise a Woman has you walk in the shoes of a victim of sexual harassment. From finger pointing and stigma associated, to the process of reporting, to crippling depression and anxiety it imposes. We hope to bring insight into the effect it has on an individual, from the perspective of the victim.
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Story
Mission Statement
Directed and co-written by award winning Egyptian-American filmmaker, Ayesha Abouelazm and produced by screenwriter/actor, Myriam Raymond. Myriam is a Lebanese-American actor-comedian who has spent over a decade working as a Consulting Actuary in corporate America.About The Project
Elle & Her Story
Our protagonist Elle is a strong, independent woman in a professional setting who becomes the victim of sexual harassment on a daily basis. We chose the character name "Elle" as it is the word for "she/her" in french, and is representative of "every woman." Rather than focus on the events of the actual assault, Otherwise a Woman has you accompany Elle on her journey to reclaim her life.
We follow her as she struggles with reactions of skepticism and blame. We watch her as she reaches out for support in an attempt to rise above and seek treatment, and then fail at the most basic social interactions. We see her strive to grasp on to any forms of normalcy but find her drowning in depression, anxiety and paranoia instead. We observe the slow disintegration of the human spirit into a state of despair as Elle fights to make it back to the person she used to be.
Why is this necessary?
It was previously believed that one in about one in five Americans (both male and female) reported experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace. A CNBC All-America Survey found that overall 19 percent of American adults said they have been victims. Among men, the figure was ten percent, while among women it jumped to 27 percent. This means at least one in four women experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.
- In a survey conducted at the beginning of 2018, 38 percent of women said they experienced sexual harassment at the workplace (NPR), while statisticsviews.com has this number sitting higher at three in five women. Let that sink in.
- 75 percent of harassment victims have experienced retaliation when they reported it.
- Somewhere between 87 and 94 percent of employees experiencing harassment do not file a formal complaint.
The inspiration
My case was dismissed by HR because “it is not company policy to interview employees who are no longer with the company” despite having provided six witnesses, photos, emails and text messages over the course of five years. I knew that if I had all this evidence and was still unable to be taken seriously, then how was someone who only has their experience or their word to be believed? And more so, are people aware of the emotional and physical distress that these experiences can have on a person.
Incentives
$5
A (Consensual) Hug!
$15
All of the above AND Social Media Shout Out & Digital Poster!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$25
All of the above AND a Link to View "Otherwise a Woman"
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$50
All of the above AND a Digital Script!
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$100
All of the above AND a Personal Thank You in Film Credits!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$250
All of the above AND Spend a Day on Set!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$500
All of the above AND be an Extra in the Film!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$750
All of the above AND Associate Producer Credit in film & IMDb!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$1,000
All of the above AND Executive Producer Credit in film & IMDb!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$5
A (Consensual) Hug!
$15
All of the above AND Social Media Shout Out & Digital Poster!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$25
All of the above AND a Link to View "Otherwise a Woman"
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$50
All of the above AND a Digital Script!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$100
All of the above AND a Personal Thank You in Film Credits!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$250
All of the above AND Spend a Day on Set!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$500
All of the above AND be an Extra in the Film!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$750
All of the above AND Associate Producer Credit in film & IMDb!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
$1,000
All of the above AND Executive Producer Credit in film & IMDb!
Please include social media handle for shout out and email for poster.
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
Meet Ayesha!
Ayesha Abouelazm has written and directed many short films. This includes One (2015), Love Is A Gray Area (2016), Utterance (2016), The Girl in the Blue Bra (2016) and Not On My Shoulders (2017). She is a 2017 graduate student of Columbia College Chicago, one of the largest film schools in the entire country. Ayesha gravitates towards stories that are controversial, that focus on underdogs and stories that unveil issues in which most people are afraid to talk about. The Girl in the Blue Bra is one of her more personal works and has been shown in over 15 film festivals so far, where it won “Joint Best North American Short” at the Asia South East Film Festival and best long-short film and the Kinodrome Film Festival.
And Myriam!
Actuary turned actor/comedian/writer because it's easier than explaining what an actuary is. Born to Lebanese parents, Myriam was raised on the island of Cyprus and now calls Chicago home. Most of her work is derived from her cultural overlaps, previous work life and hurdles as a woman. On any given night, you can find her on stage performing her witty songs, or playing with her improv team Valid Hysteria - one of the oldest all-women's improv groups. When not on stage, she spends her time producing, writing, and woodworking. Her ongoing productions include "Token: A Variety show" a monthly comedy show, and "Otherwise a Woman" a film based on her life.
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