Not Violent, Not Silent! @inthenameoflove-dv - Tumblr Blog

Proposed poster for my feature length documentary about surviving a vicious assault and facing an unsympathetic BC judicial system.

I’ve found my voice and can now speak up on this with confidence and strength and hope in turn to be a voice for the 63′000 other women in British Columbia, Canada who are assaulted by their intimate partners every year and receive no justice.

#bcfilm #documentary #domesticviolence #flawedbcjudicialsystem #bccrowncounsel #pixar #femalefilm #asianfilmmaker #canadianfilmmaker #foundmyvoice #2020

“In the Name of Love? A Domestic Violence Survivors’ Story” Feature Length Documentary; Written and Directed by Polly Pierce

The evening of October 23 2012 is one that would change Polly Harrison's life forever.

That evening, Polly's abusive fiancee, Mark-Alexander Hartwin, arrived home from his high-paying job at Pixar and unleashed the most ferocious of his regular violent outbursts against her; he confined her for 16 hours in their Vancouver apartment and stalked her within it's walls, screamed verbal abuse into her ears while physically restraining her and violently assaulted her by trying to suffocate her multiple times that evening while pinning her down to their bed and the floor and crushing her into the concrete walls of their apartment, all in an attempt to kill her.

Despite surviving this vicious attack, and summoning the courage to file assault and confinement charges against her abusive ex-partner, Polly's biggest challenge was yet to arrive in the shape of the unsympathetic and cold BC Crown Counsellor, Snover Bains, and the BC Judicial System. Although Hartwin plead guilty to these charges, Crown Counsellor Bains handed down only a $500 CAD fine and a Peace Bond/ Protection Order, with charges expunged after a one year period, as punishment for the brutal violence he inflicted upon Polly that night.

Was Polly Harrison's life, which she almost lost that fateful night, only worth $500? And why expunge the confinement and assault charges which Hartwin plead guilty to?

This feature length documentary will use Polly Harrison's experience of facing the BC Crown Counsel and Judicial System to question their judgement and similar limp handling of other Domestic Violence cases within the Province and ask what needs to be done to adequately provide justice to victims of Domestic Violence, so they are not also victims of the System.

Production is expected to take place Fall 2020.

#domesticviolence #bcfilm #domesticviolencesurvivor #survivor #bcjudicialsystem #bccrowncounsel #pixar #guilty #seekingfunding #flawedsystem #femalefilmmaker #ethnicfilmmaker #asianfilmmaker #classic film #documentary #endviolenceagainstwomen

“Although I do not have control over my partner’s violence, I do have a choice about how to respond to him/her and how to best get myself and my children to safety.”

Lately, I’ve been contacted by mutual friends about some of their friends who are in abusive relationships. It saddens me that others are going through Domestic Violence but I can only hope by sharing what I learned from my experience that it will help others. The attached link is an EXCELLENT resource for Personal Safety Planning on how a DV victim can begin planning to protect herself and/or her children/possessions.

#domesticviolence notviolent notsilent personalsafetyplanning

"..Meanwhile, there were myriad permutations on “why do women stay in these relationships?” and not one question of “why do men bash?”, an expectation women must answer for the abuse they receive rather than the men who perpetrate it."

Lets be brave and start a REAL conversation on ‪#‎domesticviolence‬ in our communities and delve deeper. Why do 1 in 3 men abuse women who are their intimate partner?

#endviolenceagainstwomen #notviolent notsilent #jacksonkatz #ABC Q&A iamadvsurvivor

Small step to stop perpetrating violence against women #boycottwarboy

I'm proud that today I took a stand against something I thought was outright wrong. A hipster hair salon in Gastown, ‪#‎warboy‬, had a sign outside it's store front which used 'battery' as the butt of it's joke. I went in and spoke to the male owner who made the sign and pointed out that a Women's Rape Relief shelter was just on the corner from them and that their sign was in poor taste. And that, with two seated bleached blond women holding their hair extension's in their hands, that their own clientele are women and that making fun of a serious and out of hand issue like battery and violence against women is completely poor form. On leaving, the owner said I could wipe the chalk sign clear, which I did, however I could hear their laughter as I did this. I'm glad that I made a small step in the fight to stop perpetrating violence against women, especially as a joke made by men, and voiced my concern but it's truly sad to think that, really, no one understands the topic until it has happened to them or to some one they love.

#‪‎notviolentnotsilent‬ ‪‎boycottwarboy‬ ‪‎endviolenceagainstwomen‬‪‎violenceisnojoke‬ ‪‎onebillionrising‬ ‪‎whiteribbon‬ ‪‎gastown‬ ‪‎vancou

Melissa Dohme stood in a Pinellas County, Fl. courtroom and described how it felt and her thoughts as she was being stabbed by her ex-boyfriend Robert Burton. Burton was sentenced to life in prison for the attack. (Oct. 21, 2013; Clearwater, Fl.) [Tampa Bay Times]

#supportmelissa notviolent notsilent strength

What a day! Participating in the #greatwallmarathon to raise funds for #respect alongside #whiteribbon. #beijing #jixian #domesticviolence #prevention #awareness

#whiteribbon #beijing #greatwallmarathon #jixian #awareness #domesticviolence #respect #prevention

Not Violent, Not Silent!

Not Violent, Not Silent! It has been a little over a week since returning from China to participate in the Great Wall Marathon and what an amazing experience it was! Firstly, I was lucky enough to spend a week in Beijing and Jixian and immerse myself in the amazing Chinese culture, as well as test out my Mandarin speaking and reading skills, and get back to my ancestral roots which itself was an amazing experience! But secondly, to have participated in the Marathon and hiked, so the case was, the Great Wall with the support of supporters and donors for my White Ribbon/ RESPECT fundraiser. This fundraiser was successful in raising just under $1200 for RESPECT, a Vancouver based Domestic Violence support group for Women which helps them to escape Domestic Violence safely for themselves and their children and to begin reclaiming their lives after what can be years of emotional, psychological and, in some cases, physical abuse. Personally, I know that the women who work here do an amazing job as they too helped me out when I needed it and deserve all the support they can get! So, I would like to send out a BIG thanks to all the donors and supporters who contributed generously with your words of support and donations to a cause which is so rewarding and life changing for women who are trying to emerge from being victims into survivors. I was so proud to carry all of your names on a banner that I was proud to wear whilst completing the 21km course. Again a BIG thank you for your kindness and generosity! Polly :)

#notviolent notsilent china greatwallmarathon domesticviolence survivor