Call for Action: SMALL SMALL THING Documentary Subject’s Tragic Death

January 30th, 2013

Filmmakers Jessica Vale and Nika Offenbac hope the Springtime release of the documentary Small Small Thing will pressure the Liberian government to take action against rape, which according to UN statistics in 2012, is still the #1 crime in Liberia – and the majority of the victims are children.

Small Small Thing begins at JFK Hospital in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, where we are introduced to 9-year old Olivia Zinnah.  She is severely malnourished, handicapped and in life-threatening condition.  Believing her injuries to the the result of witchcraft, Olivia’s mother had been hiding her for years, yet doctors conclude her condition is the result of a brutal rape that took place when Olivia was just 7 years old.  Originally from deep in the Liberian jungle, Olivia and her mother are shunned from their tribe for seeking outside help.  The documentary follows the pair as they fight for justice on a journey that stretches from their tiny village to the office of Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

In January 2013, devastating news was announced of Olivia’s death – then 12 years old – as a result from her rape injuries.  Despite five years of medical treatments and the long struggle for intervention from the Liberian government, this tragic consequence makes Small Small Thing‘s call for global action all the more urgent.

Read more about the important film and learn how you can help at www.smallsmallthing.com