The picture reimagines Little Red Riding Hood to expose how young women are groomed into serious violence and exploitation nationwide.
A new short film exploring the hidden impact of violence on young women and girls has been launched by the Royal Borough of Greenwich in partnership with the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit.
The 25-minute feature, titled Red, reimagines the fairytale Little Red Riding Hood and follows a young girl who is groomed, coerced and drawn into serious violence by her own ‘wolf’.
Initially, the film premiered on Tuesday 9th December at Cineworld at the O2, but it is now available of the Royal Greenwich YouTube channel and can be accessed within this article.
The premiere was attended by the film’s director, Chris Godwin, members of the cast, Greenwich Council leader Anthony Okereke, cabinet member for community safety and enforcement Rachel Taggart-Ryan and Lib Peck, director of the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit.
According to the council, young women and girls are often overlooked in discussions about serious violence. Many are groomed, experience sexual abuse, or become connected to violence through partners or male family members, with warning signs frequently hidden from view.
Red was developed using real-life experiences of survivors and research carried out with young people. It highlights the role of professional curiosity and the importance of asking the right questions to uncover harm and intervene earlier.
‘We launched Red on the last day of the 16 Days of Action, a global movement which calls for more action to prevent and end male violence against women and girls (VAWG),’ Cllr Okereke, said. ‘The exploitation of girls needs to stop. We can’t stress enough the importance of male allyship in the context of ending VAWG and it’s vital for men to stand up and call out misogynistic attitudes and behaviours by their peers.
‘The message of the film focuses on prevention and accountability and calls on men and boys and the wider community to take responsibility for culture change.’
The council said the film is intended as a learning resource for teachers, youth workers, social workers, police officers and parents.
Cllr Taggart-Ryan added: ‘It’s everyone’s business to end violence against women and girls and developing Red is part of the council’s work to deepen our understanding of the links between domestic abuse and serious violence.
‘Creating a film about girls and women involved in serious violence is vital to giving them a voice, breaking down, stereotypes, promoting understanding and driving meaningful change.’
Photo by Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona/UnSplash
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