To conclude Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Women’s Research and Resource Center (WRRC) hosted a screening of “Screams Before Silence,” a documentary film about the sexual violence committed on Oct. 7, 2023. Following the screening, a Q&A session took place with guest speakers Anila Ali and Miri Bar-Halpern.

A 20-minute compilation of the documentary was shown on April 30 at Chaparral Hall on campus, which primarily followed the stories of Agam Goldstein Almog and Amit Soussana, two Israeli hostages of Hamas who survived sexual assault and have since been released.

Upon seeing the film, the Director of the WRRC, Shira Brown, said she felt it important to bring awareness of the survivors’ stories to campus during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

“It feels like a way to sort of stay in my lane, right? But still have a chance to think about and talk about not the conflict. That’s not the event’s goal at all,” said Brown. “But to really focus on the fact that women were sexually assaulted and that there’s a large swath of people who deny the assaults or minimize it.”

In the weeks leading up to the event, Brown said the WRRC faced backlash for hosting the screening. Those opposed countered that the center should also include a screening of “No Other Land,” an Oscar-winning film documenting communities that the Israeli army has forcibly displaced.

“That’s a great idea. Go to your administrator and or go to someone and organize that event, right?” Brown said she would be attending a “No Other Land” screening on Zoom. “I want to be in conversation with people who have different feelings and thoughts than I do, so I can learn. That’s all I ask in return.”

Despite critical social media comments, Brown hoped attendees would gain new insight and participate in open conversation with the speakers.

Ali, a Pakistani-American Muslim women’s rights activist, and Bar-Halpern, a clinical expert in trauma, agreed after statements following the film that remaining open to diverse viewpoints is crucial when discussing conflict.

The speakers also stated they support women’s rights and consider themselves pro-Palestine and pro-Israel.

“This is what people need to understand,” Bar-Halpern said. “This is not about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Using sexual violence at war, it’s just not acceptable period.”

The war in Gaza has entered its 20th month, and the Israeli government approved plans Monday to expand military operations, forcibly removing Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, according to the Associated Press.

Finding two diverse speakers with different backgrounds was important to Brown to adequately discuss a difficult topic that “required a lot of nuance.” According to Brown, she aspired to create not only a learning environment but also a place for her community to feel understood and heard.

“Just because we are talking about sexual assault and violence that took place on and during October 7, doesn’t mean that we then are denying the reality of what’s happening today,” Brown said, “or suggesting that sexual assault and violence is not occurring in the opposite direction.”

Cheyenne Lilly, an English major in her first year at CSUN, said she considered herself pro-Palestine. After viewing “Screams Before Silence,” Lilly left with a new perspective.

“I came here, and I was educated. Completely different from being persuaded or anything,” Lilly said. “I was educated on this topic.”

Before the event, Lilly said she had not been aware of the events on Oct. 7, having joined an “online agenda” rather than doing her research. During the Q&A, Lilly asked the speakers how they would advise young adults to seek out and understand different perspectives.

According to Bar-Halpern, young students are more vulnerable to extremism – viewing complex issues as black-and-white – because their developing brains are less equipped to process ambiguity.

Ali said she believed students were already in the right environment to explore divergent ideas.

“A lot of you are in academia, the best place to be,” Ali said. “Don’t shut down voices – don’t silence. Listen to both sides, because then you can be equipped to answer questions, and never hesitate to ask questions.”