In a new, trenchant Funny or Die video (co-produced by the nonprofit, Rise, which “drafted and passed the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights unanimously through Congress,”) Tatiana Maslany sells “sexual assault survivor utility belts.” The satirical informercial/actual PSA sees Maslany as a shoulder-padded 80s gal who happens to be selling handy dandy belts to help women grapple with the absurd, incompetent legal process of seeking justice for rape and sexual assault cases.
You see, her character’s friend can’t go to the concert with her because she needs to “go down to the police station to repetition them not to destroy [her] rape kit.”
“Rape kit?” asks Maslany. “You mean all the evidence they spend hours collecting from every part of your body in the hospital on the night you were raped?”
“Yeah it’s such a drag,” replies her friend, with nonchalant dismay.
Prompted by her friend’s problem, Maslany then begins pitching her cumbersome storage facility of a “sexual assault survivor utility belt” — complete with “a six month timer to remind me when to go down to the police station and convince them not to throw away the only DNA evidence for my case,” “a poncho, for when I forget and have to go digging in the dumpster in the rain for my rape kit,” a “smart phone” wherein one can research things like whether they have to pay for their own rape kit, and more!
As New York Magazine notes, the video accompanies Rise’s campaign to alter legislation around sexual assault throughout 30 states. Maslany said in a statement:
I’m incredibly proud to be a part of this campaign. Survivors have already dealt with the most unimaginable trauma, and our justice system leaves them to fend for themselves. I hope this video encourages people around the country to get involved and demand that their state legislators pass these critical survivor protections.
Watch the video:
Click here to see how you can help Rise’s movement.
