Stephanie Okereke-Linus, Nigerian model cum filmmaker, has put out ‘The Student’, a short film addressing sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) in tertiary institutions.
In an Instagram post, the movie star said the project, directed by Chinedu Ben, was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The short film follows the story of Jumi, a high-flying student, who fell victim to a lecturer with a history of sexual harassment.
It also comes after ‘Hey Woman’, her monologue which debuted on March 1 to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).
The project, which is her second UNEPA-supported work on GBV, featured several other film stars including Mary Agholor, Samuel Abah, and Beshel Francis.
In another post, Stephanie said the initiative was to further create awareness about the prevalence of sex-for-grades in tertiary institutions.
“The prevalence of sexual harassment of female students in tertiary institutions is worrisome. Many students are threatened with exam failure or other disturbing consequences if they refuse to succumb,” she wrote.
“In this short film, we attempt to capture a scenario of how a young girl was able to get out of the trap of harassment. Sexual harassment thrives when perpetrators are able to subject their victims into silence.
“I would like to say to every young girl who might be experiencing this in one form or the other – you have a voice, and it is time to use it!”
The actress has established herself in the country’s movie landscape since she made her acting debut in 1997 with numerous awards as well as recognition.
Watch the short film below:
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