The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

WHO WOULD have thought a short film with no voices, just melody, characters and words displayed on the screen could bring forth such a powerful message.

The short film “Roses Part 2” by Bahamian entertainer Tracy Ann Perpall, also known as TAP, is having such an impact. Once is too much when it comes to domestic violence: This message is highlighted in a public service announcement.

It directs attention to the very prevalent issue of domestic violence by pointing out red flag behaviour of abusers and encouraging reflection on the problem.

Last year TAP introduced “Roses Part 1”, which depicted a woman accepting an apology and the peace offering of roses from her lover/abuser after being abused on numerous occasions. TAP said the story of Roses is one that many women have come face to face with; some get out of the destructive relationship and others remain. As for the victim in the PSA, she believed it wouldn’t “happen again”, but suffered the ultimate fate for her decision, death.

With Roses Part 2, released on Valentines Day, TAP took a different approach.

“For those who watched the first one, I used the same characters but I showed it from a different angle; from a more positive angle. The first one showed the negative things and outcomes that can happen if you stay in an abusive relationship and this one shows the positive outcomes from leaving an abusive relationship,” said TAP.

She said the new video is not that doom and gloom message that people are use to hearing about domestic violence. The video is about knowing there is a way out, and if you get out, your life can have some amazing results. She said the message communicates “there is a light at the end of the tunnel”.

Due to her love and passion for raising awareness on the issue, TAP said she didn’t want Roses to be a one time thing.

“I feel like a lot of times in the Bahamas there are these campaigns and they do their little one thing and that’s it; you don’t hear from them anymore. I want this to be a continuous message to say that this is not okay, We need to address this and we need to stop shying away from talking about domestic violence. This is constantly on my mind while I’ve been working on my documentary for the past two years that is going to be The first video showed an abused woman played by Fanchon Dawkins accepting her boyfriend’s abusive behaviour. Fight after fight, she accepts his “sorry” roses, and it becomes repetitive until it turns out for the worst, her death. In the new video there is a rewind where the girlfriend gives the roses back and shortly after she seeks help from a domestic violence counsellor.

The once battered woman finds her way out of the abusive relationship and into a graduation gown. This time, she receives roses for her accomplishments and later her wedding day.

“Even though I don’t want to rain on people’s parade, I feel like Valentines Day was a good time to release this video. Even though you see people getting the perfect gifts, you never know what they are going through in their homes. Just because someone buys you a huge teddy bear on Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t make it right if they do harmful things to you,” said TAP.

TAP’s previous entertainment video blogs brought her great notoriety and exposure in the entertainment world. However, she said even with the powerful messages behind the Roses series, the videos have been her least successful in terms of views.

“People are used to seeing my videos reaching 100,000 views and “Roses” didn’t. Ironically this is the video that I am most proud of. Even though it didn’t get as much attention as the comedic stuff I do, I feel like this is more important for the community and for young women like myself. For the comments that I did get, I was really appreciative of it. One person messaged me privately on Facebook and told me they actually sat down with their daughter and played the video to show them about the message. I was blown away that people are actually having these conversations in their homes and with their daughters and their friends. That was probably the best feeling in the world,” said TAP.

“It is confusing and kind of disappointing because I can post a picture of myself doing the most ridiculous thing and get 2,000 likes and shares. Just the other day the Bahamas Crisis Center had a Walkabout...I shared the picture to tell people to come out and support and that photo received two likes. It’s fine to have fun and I make a living off of being fun, but it seems like when it comes to serious issues, Bahamians ignore it. It is not wrong to have fun, but with certain things you have to be sober and as a nation we need to be sober about the fact that domestic violence is a serious issue in this country,” said TAP.

She said domestic violence is everyone’s business in general and it is disappointing when it doesn’t get the support it needs to raise awareness. She said it is all simple as sharing a video or volunteering at a walkabout.

TAP’s Roses Part 1 video screened at the recent Florida International Film Festival held in Grand Bahama. She hopes to enter the entire series in more festivals to get the message out, both locally and internationally.