SUMMARY: Children who have disabilities are still children who should be protected and nurtured by adults responsible for their care. NOT abused by them. Child abuse is a CRIME and should be PUNISHED.
In “Silenced”, (aka “The Crucible” or “Dogani”), Kang In-ho moves to the town of Mujin because he got a job as an art teacher at Ja-ae Academy, a school for the deaf. He has already mastered sign language and is confident he can communicate with his students. However, the first thing he notices is that when he tries to greet them warmly, they do not smile. They seem to be afraid of him as if they don’t expect him to be kind, and they run away.
As time passes, he hears and/or witnesses certain events and gradually begins to understand that these children are suffering. There is no reason for them to trust adults. All adults ever do is abuse them. Some of the children have parents but some are orphans which is worse because there is nobody who will be their champion and defend them.
One time a child led him to a room and when he opened the door he saw one of the school officials abusing a young girl. It was supposed to be a punishment. But the child was unconscious so he took her to a hospital and there the little girl told him what had happened to her. Yoo-Jin is an employee at the Mujin Human Rights Center. She heard the girl’s story as well. Yoo-Jin and Kang In-ho decided to work together to expose the abuse.
Of course, Kang In-ho was fired. But the unfair termination did not stop him from pursuing justice for the children. Yoo-Jin experienced what’s commonly called the “government shuffle”. It’s when you go to various governmental organizations and they tell you the matter is not under their jurisdiction and they have no authority to investigate. They refer you to another government unit that shuffles you to another and then another and … They keep passing the buck because nobody wants to work on such a difficult and controversial case. The public is already divided.
The government employees don’t want to get involved because they know it won’t be easy. The headmaster of the school:
But the main reason for not wanting to address this matter.
Yoo-Jin and Kang In-ho were determined to seek justice and expose the abuse.
My personal rating is the same as the Amazon customers.
This movie has been on my watchlist for a long time. Because I knew it a based on a true story, it took time for me to work up the courage to watch it. The abuses at the Gwangju Inhwa School for the Deaf were brought to light in 2005 because a teacher reported them to human rights groups. Six school officials were convicted, including the school principal. The sexual assaults and other forms of abuse had gone on for decades.
The performances by child actors in this film are noteworthy and it is no surprise that “Silenced” won several awards. But what should be recognized and remembered is that following the release of this film, The Dogani Law was passed, providing stronger protections for children and disabled individuals against sexual abuse. I am so grateful to people the world over who don’t ignore the screams and cries of children.
“Silenced” is a Brutal Look at Child Abuse at a Facility for the Deaf | K-Culture with Jae-Ha Kim
‘Silenced’: Haunting Korean tale of school abuse | The Seattle Times
Movie Review: ‘Silenced’ (2011) | The Hollywood Reporter
Cinema September 5: Silenced: A Movie That Actually Changed South Korea | Sarah Knows Nothing
In Praise of ‘Silenced’: The Film that Shook South Korean Cinema | Film School Rejects
CJEntertainmentUSA. “Silenced (도가니) – Official Trailer w/ English Subtitles [HD].” YouTube, Video, 30 Oct. 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3BUIreDAeY.
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