Slut or Nut: the Diary of a Rape Trial

2017, 90 minutes

Mandi Gray turns from victim to activist while seeking justice after her assault; as she goes public with her story, Gray finds it is her own character that is on trial.

Slut or Nut: The Diary of a Rape Trial is a powerful feature-length documentary shot in Toronto, Canada, that follows activist Mandi Gray through the court process following a sexual assault. At the time of her own rape, the issue of sexual violence was widely discussed in the media as Jian Ghomeshi, a famous Canadian radio host was charged for sexually assaulting numerous women, including the rape chants at University of British Columbia and misogynist commentary by dentistry students at Dalhousie University. Despite widespread public conversations and media attention, Gray is shocked to experience extensive slut shaming by the Toronto police, and the refusal of her university to prioritize her need for safety over the rights of the accused. In response to the institutional failures, Gray forms a student-led organization, Silence is Violence, which quickly spreads across university Campuses in Canada. Deeply aware of the numerous barriers to justice that sexual assault survivors face following a sexual assault, Gray turns to activism and files a Human Rights Complaint against York University for systemic gender discrimination due to their treatment of her following the arrest of the man who sexually assaulted her. Slut or Nut: the Diary of a Rape Trial uses Mandi’s story to critically examine just how viable the legal system is for providing women with justice, closure, or safety following a sexual assault. The film includes interviews with a range of experts including: survivors of sexual assault, activists, criminal lawyers, civil lawyers, and health care providers.

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