The Conspiracy of Silence

The Conspiracy of Silence is a documentary TV film that was broadcast three times on PBS in the United States in 1995 and 1996. The title is formed from the assumption that there is a conspiracy of silence that surrounds domestic violence. The abuser has an unspoken pact with the victim to stay silent about the crimes committed and in return the victim believes this lack of action will result in the avoidance of further violence.

Directed and written by Neal Marshad and Donna Olson, this documentary won the Silver Award at WorldFest Houston in 1996 Film & Video Production: Women's Issues and Honorable Mention in 1996 Columbus International Film & Video Festival: Health & Medicine. It focuses on the efforts of one organization located in East Hampton, New York called The Retreat. The goal of the Retreat is to help battered women and their children with safe shelter and counseling. With on camera scenes featuring actress Kathleen Turner and Denise Brown (the sister of Nicole Brown Simpson), The Conspiracy of Silence cuts through social class, economic privilege and racial lines to demonstrate that domestic violence is not limited to a certain group and that there is no standard profile for the abuser or the abused. The film is narrated by Kathleen Turner and features Southampton, New York judge Deborah Kooperstein. This film outlines the problem of domestic violence clearly and concisely and provides the model for meaningful and workable solutions. ISBN: 978-1-55981-511-6