Up to 70 percent of women have reported being subject to a form of physical or sexual abuse from an intimate partner or loved one. In cases of intimate partner violence, both parties can help each other by listening to the story from the other’s point of view.

The person who experienced violence needs support to heal and feel a sense of safety and justice. The person who used violence needs support to take responsibility and change his/her behavior. This documentary film explores that process.

Steve and Attiya dated in high school and during their two-year relationship he regularly beat her. Now 20 years later, the two meet to heal the wounds from their past. A downloadable kit, A Better Man: Discussion Guide, includes resources and questions to help viewers unpack the film’s key themes in formal settings like a workshop or informal settings like a living room. The director states:

“I desperately want domestic violence to stop. Art, storytelling, and deep, painful conversations are an integral part of the solution. By getting closer to the truth of what survivors experience, and of why men choose to use violence, we can help stop the violence.”