Domestic violence advocate creates documentary to share personal story

(NEWS10) – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and one local woman is using her story to educate others about domestic violence. After writing a book sharing her story, Shana Gourdine turned the book into a documentary, collaborating with other domestic abuse survivors.

After going through two domestic violence situations, Gourdine still deals with anxiety, depression and PTSD on a daily basis. As part of her recovery, she penned her book of poetry The Mask Behind the Mask.

In an interview with NEWS10, she talks more about the inspiration behind the book:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gourdine read more and more about the reports of increased domestic violence. She says she wanted to do something to help.

She teamed up with Veronica Gonzalez, a producer and fellow domestic violence survivor, to share their stories of survival through film.

Their documentary called “Through Their Eyes: UnMask (The Mask Behind The Mask): A Film on Domestic Violence” sheds a light on those who survived and those who didn’t.

Creating the film during the COVID-19 pandemic wasn’t easy they said, but the timing was more important than ever.

Ultimately, they want people who watch it to learn from their stories.

The documentary is available now on YouTube, Amazon Fire and Roku.