Jack Hagan
Philosophy 105
Homework #1
July 15, 2017
A Path Appears
“A Path Appears”, is a short documentary that centers around mistreatment of women,
specifically domestic abuse and rape. This short film takes place in Atlanta, Georgia and in the
Kibara slum, in Kenya. As the film goes along, many of the individuals weigh in on the issue at
hand using value and reality assumptions. In Atlanta, the focus is on women who have
experienced abuse from the men in their lives. These women are kept in a “safe house” with their
children so that their abusers cannot contact or find them. The safe house is a place for these
women to feel comfortable. The film covers several stories about how domestic violence is not
handled correctly and that gender based violence is an example of something that violates the
rule of law. The problem is, it’s not just the women impacted, it’s the entire family and the
friends surrounding them. In Kenya, we see a school for young girls that are in dangerous
situations or that have been raped and abused by older men in the slum. We get to hear from a
local couple as well as outsiders traveling there. The individuals involved have their own
assumptions regarding the domestic violence and rape within their respective homes.
In Atlanta, Georgia, we follow the lives of the women stationed in a safe house. We learn
about how they got there, and with several interviews and group discussions we come across
value and reality assumptions. The first reality assumption I noted was from Regina, who stated
that domestic violence is really about control, and the impact it has on the human spirit is
shocking, and it reverberates through so many lives. This is a reality assumption because Regina
believes that what she is saying is true and factual. It is a fact that domestic violence has a strong
impact on the human spirit and adversely impacts those around the person abused. The second
reality assumption comes from Ayonna, who states that the earlier we can educate boys and
young men, the quicker we can make a difference. The reason this is considered a reality
assumption is because Ayonna believes that domestic violence can be resolved or at least
reduced by early education. This has been proven to be correct in certain cases. When young
men are taught to respect women at an early age, the risk of abuse is reduced. It is also a fact
that domestic violence can be a learned behavior, accordingly, you can learn to respect women
and not abuse them. The final reality assumption I noted was from Esta. Esta says, “It is really
hard to live when you are a victim of violence.” The hidden assumption within this statement is
