Victim/Suspect explores the #MeToo movement. This movement has elevated public consciousness about the chilling reality of sexual assault, which is estimated to impact more than 460,000 individuals annually in the United States as per Department of Justice statistics. However, it has also brought to light the dire repercussions of false accusations. One must approach each occurrence individually. Regardless of how the media tends to sensationalize these disturbing tales, subjecting them to public adjudication.
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Nancy Schwartzman’s penetrating documentary, “Victim/Suspect,” bravely plunges into this tumultuous territory to deliver an important message. It spotlights young assault victims who were subsequently apprehended on grounds of false allegations. It emphasizes the necessity for treating each sexual assault report with sensitivity and discernment, beginning with law enforcement. The documentary reveals that young women like Emma, Nikki, and Diyanie were subjected to daunting police interrogation during protracted testimonies and coerced into retracting their accusations. Their pursuit of protection and justice culminated in their arrest.
“Victim/Suspect” features the relentless pursuit of truth by emerging journalist Rachel de Leon, a staff member at the Center for Investigative Reporting. Besides recounting the victims’ distressing narratives, the film documents de Leon’s investigative journey into the cases she writes about over a span of years. De Leon painstakingly assembles the victims’ accounts of their assaults, contrasting these with police procedures preceding the victims’ arrest. She uncovers significant gaps in information and disregarded by those who should have offered protection and service. By scrutinizing their actions, de Leon personifies the documentary’s persistent demand for accountability.
A pattern begins to emerge in these narratives. If an officer harbors doubts about a potential sexual assault victim, they may resort to suspect questioning techniques. They might employ repeated questioning or keep the accuser confined for hours, manipulating them to want to escape. They may lie about possessing surveillance footage from the alleged location to gauge the accuser’s reaction. This strategy revolves around dominance, control, and power, not justice.
Contrastingly, as depicted in the film, the perpetrators are seldom subject to thorough interrogation, if at all. This lack of scrutiny could stem from an intent to shield a community figure, or from biases aimed at reducing investigative efforts and paperwork. In Nikki and Emma’s cases, they were incarcerated. Each woman featured in the documentary saw her ordeal with the police result in publicized accusations of falsehood.
Despite its insightful journalism, the film has a murky, disorienting narrative style. Schwartzman attempts to structure the documentary around de Leon’s multi-year article creation, but the timeline within the film becomes perplexing. The absence of visual time markers as the narration oscillates between past and present tense can result in a bewildering viewing experience, potentially overshadowing authentic, spontaneous moments.
Nevertheless, “Victim/Suspect” triumphs through its extensive documentation of de Leon’s sharp reporting and perseverance. It has expert insights into the persistence of this vicious cycle. The film balances personal accounts from Nikki, Emma, and Diyanie with de Leon’s work. It offers a human touch that investigative journalism, an impartial quest for truth, can provide. De Leon expresses her goal to complete each victim’s story, rather than advocating for them. She delves deeper than the police did or deemed necessary.
De Leon challenges conventional police accounts, confronting law officers reluctant to provide their comments. After three years, she finally secures an interview with Detective Cotto, the lead investigator in Nikki’s case. He starts the interview by stating his commitment to impartial fact-finding, but his confident demeanor quickly collapses. De Leon reveals that one of Nikki’s suspects had faced another sexual assault allegation a month prior to Nikki’s case, a fact Det. Cotto’s department overlooked due to their failure to interview the two men.
This scene uncovers the bitter truth about inadequate policing without providing any sense of triumphant exposure—only a deepening sense of revulsion and disgrace. “Victim/Suspect” showcases those who honor their professional obligations and those who fall short, reflecting the profound consequences of both.
