All cast and crew should read the below before working on the production.
From a google AI search below.
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Yes, it is considered plausible for female rape victims to participate in bikini contests, as sexual assault survivors often engage in diverse, and sometimes seemingly contradictory, coping mechanisms to regain a sense of control, autonomy, and normalcy in their lives.
While societal myths often dictate that victims should hide or feel constant shame, the healing process is deeply personal and non-linear.
Here are the psychological reasons why this can be a plausible behavior for survivors:
Reclaiming Control and Body Autonomy: Following a violation of their bodily boundaries, some survivors feel empowered by proactively choosing when, where, and how their body is seen. Engaging in activities that showcase their body on their own terms can be a way of taking back control from the perpetrator.
Reasserting Self-Worth: The trauma of sexual assault can shatter self-esteem, leading to feelings of being "damaged" or "dirty". Participating in pageants or contests can be an attempt to reaffirm their confidence, desirability, and agency.
Coping Mechanism (Pretending/Avoidance): Some victims may engage in such activities to convince themselves that the assault did not have a lasting impact or to "pretend" that everything is normal.
Reclaiming Sexual Identity: Survivors may choose to reclaim their sexuality by engaging in activities that feel safe to them, even if those activities involve high visibility.
Desensitization: In some cases, engaging in public, revealing scenarios can be a way to face and desensitize themselves to the fear and vulnerability associated with their body.
Important Context Regarding Trauma
It is critical to note that trauma affects everyone differently. While some survivors may pursue highly public, revealing activities, others may feel safer covering up or avoiding attention. Neither reaction is right or wrong, and both are within the normal range of expected behavior for someone processing trauma.
Conclusion
A survivor’s decision to engage in a bikini contest or similar activity does not negate the trauma they experienced. Reclaiming one's body and self-image is a deeply personal journey, and for some, it involves asserting power in environments that celebrate physical confidence.
***************************************************************************** From another google AI search regarding behaviour after rape.
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Research indicates that for some survivors of sexual assault, there is a documented, though not universal, link between sexual trauma and subsequent engagement in the sex industry (prostitution, stripping, pornographic acting)
This behavior is frequently interpreted by researchers and clinicians as a complex, often subconscious, coping mechanism rather than a preference.
Reasons Survivors May Enter the Sex Industry
Regaining Control: Survivors may feel they have lost control over their own body. Selling sex can be a way to "regain control" by setting the terms, choosing the partner, and determining when sexual acts occur.
Re-enactment of Trauma: Some survivors may subconsciously re-enact the sexual assault in an attempt to change the outcome, feel in control this time, or process the original trauma.
Anger and Need for Revenge: Some survivors experience intense rage and may use sexual acting out to humiliate others or express anger against men, often by controlling access to their bodies.
Numbs Pain/Distraction: High-risk sexual behavior can serve as a distraction to avoid dealing with the intense emotional pain, shame, or guilt resulting from the assault.
Internalized Stigma: Survivors may internalize the blame for the assault, believing they are worthless or "dirty," which can lead to self-harming behavior, including placing themselves in dangerous situations.
Economic Necessity: Sexual trauma can cause significant disruptions to employment, leading to financial instability and sometimes forcing survivors to trade sex for money or survival.
Key Findings on the Connection
High-Risk Behavior: One study showed that 23.5% of interviewed rape survivors had engaged in prostitution post-rape.
Trauma Response: These behaviors are often considered a "trauma response" rather than a choice, sometimes characterized as "hypersexuality" or "trauma bonding" to the feeling of abuse.
Dual Identity: Survivors may struggle with the dual identity of being a victim of assault while also being a provider in the sex industry, which can create complex emotional distress.
Conclusion
While sexual abuse can lead to hypersexuality and engagement in the sex industry as a coping mechanism, it is crucial to recognize that this is a result of deep trauma. The behaviors mentioned are ways some survivors attempt to manage overwhelming emotions and regain a sense of power.
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Regarding this movie script, entering a bikini contest may be less common, but it is in line with everything explained above.
(The story can be set about 2015 or earlier, when bikini contests were common, and not politically incorrect. It was written just before bikini contests became politically incorrect.)
Below are comments from the 3 actresses who were featured in the practice scenes.
Thank you, Steve, for the opportunity to work on this film project. You earned my trust and made me feel so comfortable in front of the camera. You were very good at pushing me to do my best work without making it look like I was trying too hard.
Your acting technique was really valuable.
I'm so pleased with the final cut :). You work fast and made me feel really appreciated as a key part of the project. Working with you is a great way to learn how to be passionate, creative, persistent, and motivated as an artist. The story is bold and pushes the audience enough out of their comfort zone to really reflect. I hope to keep learning and growing beyond my comfort zone as well. Thank you for all your hard work and putting this project together.
Marcela Caceres
Steve,
I want to thank you for inviting me to be part of the Wannabe Girl movie experience. I enjoyed working with you, and as an actress, appreciated your patience, open mind and drive during our time filming. It made working with you comfortable. I also appreciated how efficiently you worked to get the short film cut, edited and loaded for view! It was great to see our work so quickly after shooting and I was happy with how well it was done. As an artist, I think it is inspiring to see other artists, such as yourself, write, direct and edit their work, as well as provide their own original music. This is so rare in our day and age and for that I thank you. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future and I wish you all of the best.
Natascha Schulmeister
Hi Steve,
I just saw the short and I absolutely love it!! I love the angles/cinematography, fade ins and outs. I absolutely love it!!
I want to thank you again !!! You were very professional, honest and amazing to work with! You are so creative and have unique ways of filming scenes:) All in all you are an amazing storyteller, director, writer, cinematographer and person as well! I had so much fun shooting with you. What I learned on set was valuable!! Your acting technique is amazing !
I really want to work with you again! Please keep me posted on any upcoming projects you are doing. Also let me know about when you will be filming Wannabe Girl. I want to audition for the part! The story has so much meaning and depth. I absolutely am in love with the storyline of it.
Hope you are having a great day!!!
Cheers,
Terri Sidhu
