The documentary Just Melvin, Just Evil is an attempt by James Whitney to destroy the culture of silence about domestic maltreatment. Besides, it shows the devastating consequences of it for future generations (Kambitsis, 2002). An extreme end of the abuse continuum, which this movie represents, is relevant both currently and at all times. At the present time, people have begun to talk about their terrible experiences, even if it happened many years ago, and the perpetrators are punished for their actions. We watched this film because it presents that any kind of violence, especially against children, is unacceptable and it is wrong to hide it.
The movie shows the story of a man troubled to such an extent that he sexually abused his own children, while some were only three years old. Apart from this, the most difficult part of it for me is the description of the rape of a five-year-old girl who was born with deformities of her lower body. The most informative part is Whitney’s promise to viewers to confront his grandfather about all the evil he has done. It shows an essential example of the need to fight abuse. This type of violence could have been prevented if family members had not ignored it for the sake of appearing as a decent family. They should have immediately reported to the police when the first instance of violence happened. In such cases, not only a happy childhood and the psyche of innocent victims are destroyed but also their ability to live a full adult life and enjoy it.
To conclude, the coverage of the case of immeasurably cruel child abuse and incest which this film explores is undoubtedly relevant. People should be brave enough not to be silent about it and not to ruin their future or the ensuing life of their children. In this case, it is gratifying that today society has become more aware of this issue, and harassment and sexual violence are more often discussed and not hidden.
Reference
Kambitsis, A. (2002). Just Melvin, Just Evil – Classic documentary about abuse [Video]. YouTube. Web.