Members of the ALVFF show their satisfaction at the end of the screening of the film "Invisibles".
By Esther Nyacke Ntah
"Does a woman marry for love or for money?" this was the question filmgoers asked after watching the World Women´s Observatory (WWO) film "INVISIBLES" . The documentary was screened at the Collège Polyvalent Marie Reine des Apôtres (COPOMARA) in Bamendjou on Wednesday 22 May 2024, and in Bafoussam on 23 May 2024 at the headquarters of the Association de Luttes contre les Violences faites aux Femmes (ALVFF).
In Bamendjou, the Copomara pupils were initially reluctant to go, because they didn't understand why Sister Florette, their Principal, had kept them at school for a film session, even though it was the start of the school holidays. They finally regained their enthusiasm, thanks to the explanations of the WWO's Community Manager. They were reassured when they realised that the WWO is a project of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organisations (WUCWO), which encourages women victims of violence to become visible and empowered.
Unlike the Copomara students, the members of the ALVFF in Bafoussam were delighted to hear that the film "Invisibles" was being shown at their association's headquarters. Although they are experts in the field of female abuse, the idea of seeing a film about gender-based violence was something quite new for them. As one of their members regrets, they do work on gender-based violences, but don't think about archiving them like the WWO does.
At the end of the screening, the Copomara students expressed their pleasure at having watched this film, which promotes the advancement of women. In their opinion, the lighter images, such as the students' ballet, the women's traditional dance, and the Christians singing in church, soften the poignant testimonies of these women who have suffered abuse. As for the teachers at the college, they thought it was fabulous that the WWO had brought women victims of violence to the screen, although they deplored the fact that the film focused solely on the empowerment of women. This observation led Professor Evelyne to remark that "the absence of scenes of violence on these protagonists does not allow us to really discern the traumas they have experienced, or even to measure the consequences in their lives".
Copomara students and teachers take a close look at the film "Invisibles"
For the ALVFF, the presence of men among the filmgoers made us realise that the issue of gender-based violence is also of concern to men. We were therefore delighted to hear Mr Arnaud Selabi, Coordinator of the APD, say: "I enjoyed watching this documentary. I hereby declare myself an ambassador for this noble cause".
Beyond the euphoria, film buffs in Bafoussam and Bamendjou have observed that women victims of violence are not only those without financial resources, as the film "Invisibles" suggests. In some homes, there are also wealthy women who endure the torture of their husbands without a whimper. And, to justify their point, they told us the story of the university lecturer who was often roughed up by her husband, then finally succumbed to the blows. This example forces us to recognise that the issue of violence against women is a highly complex scourge that requires in-depth analysis. These studies are all the more necessary because the United Nations considers violence against women to be a violation of human rights.
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