As a specialized domestic violence and sexual assault prosecutor for 13 years, I have seen terrible photos of injury and death, and I have prosecuted many murder cases that evidenced the extreme possibilities of violence and hate.  Yet, as I left the screening of the film ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.,’ I was overwhelmed by the brutality and reality of what I had just watched.  The violence to which this young mother, Soraya, was subjected was so upsetting, that I confess my initial thought was, “I am so thankful to live in a country and a culture where that doesn’t happen.”  

But while it is tempting to disassociate ourselves from such cruel behavior by blaming it on culture or religion, doing so provides a false sense of security.  This is not a film against Islam or Iran – it is a film about violence against women and the extremes that people can and do go to in order to get what they want.

As I reflect on the film and the story of Soraya, I recognize that this film is not an indictment of that region, religion or culture, but it does show how religion and culture can be manipulated. It is not simply a condemnation of the inhumane practice of stoning, rather it is a commentary on all violence against women and on any violation of women’s basic human rights.

A truly comprehensive discussion about this film must extend beyond the issue of stoning.

Even though stoning does not occur in most places, every other aspect of Soraya’s story plays out around the world, even in the United States.  I know this because, as a prosecutor, I have witnessed it here. I have prosecuted men just like Soraya’s husband:  the man who rapes and beats his wife; the man who makes false allegations of adultery against her; the man who threatens and bribes witnesses; the husband who turns his children, her family, and the community against her; the husband who murders his wife in front of their children; and the man who, if allowed, would absolutely seek to stone the wife who is getting in his way.

Stoning is just one example, albeit brutal, of the violations against women’s human rights that take place throughout the world.  After viewing this film, the almost unavoidable desire to eradicate this example of extreme abuse must logically extend to other violence in other places, as well.  Each form and every example of violence against women deserves and demands our utmost attention and fervent action.  So, as we wrestle with the grief, the shock, and the outrage Soraya’s story incites, we must elevate our discussions to accurately address the bigger picture: violence against women can and must be stopped.  

On the evening of June 17, Vital Voices and Human Rights Watch joined to host the screening of independent film ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.’. The story of ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.’ is told in a world of secrecy, corruption and injustice, where a single courageous voice can tell a true story that changes everything, as described by filmmaker Cyrus Nowrasteh.  It is a remarkable true story, a powerful tale of a village’s persecution of an innocent woman, of the forces that plot against her, of those who surrender to a mob, and of the one who dares to stand for what is right.