That's What She Said: A Social Inquiry is a documentary directed by Natasha Sutherland and produced by Tracy Going and Lesedi Job. It sheds new light on the phenomenon, by elevating new voices, while exploring Going's endurance after an abusive relationship many years back.

While That's What She Said will not be released with the traditional approach in cinemas, corporate organisations are invited to book screenings at cinemas or on their own premises. Gravel Road says the intention is for the film to be seen in groups and leveraged to spark meaningful discussion around the pressing phenomenon of GBV so that dialogue can play a role in positive change.

Screenings are available until Thursday, 14 December. Additionally, That's What She Said will be screened on Showmax from Friday, 1 December.

According to Gravel Road, South Africa is considered to be the rape capital of the world, with 10 818 rape cases reported in the first quarter of 2022. New research reveals that the rate at which women are killed by intimate partners in this country is five times higher than the global average.

Gravel Road says that GBV, a widespread and common occurrence in South Africa, is deeply ingrained in:
  • homes
  • workplaces
  • cultures, and
  • traditions.

This pandemic, because of unequal power between genders, has far-reaching effects that go beyond the violence itself, adds Gravel Road. GBV manifests in various forms that include:
  • physical
  • emotional
  • psychological
  • financial, or
  • structural harm.

These various forms are usually perpetrated by:
  • intimate partners
  • work colleagues
  • strangers, and
  • even institutions. 

According to Gravel Road, the film centres around reactions to the acclaimed theatre adaptation of the memoir Brutal Legacy penned by Tracy Going (award-winning former TV and radio news anchor), a survivor of GBV herself, and the high-profile case that dominated local media in the late 1990s. This was at a time when GBV received little if any attention. 

The book is being re-released to coincide with the film, now with a prologue and epilogue added, providing closure to her story and additional information about what occurred after the events in the book, adds Gravel Road. 

What makes the documentary That's What She Said: A Social Inquiry unique is that the narrative, represented in haunting scenes from the theatre performance, is woven alongside commentary from a panel of unrelated men from diverse backgrounds. Their reactions after viewing the provocative play provide intriguing insights regarding this controversial social issue. The result is the powerful message that GBV knows no gender. In fact, it affects us all, Gravel Road says. 

"That's What She Said peels back the curtain on the paradoxes that exist in homes and society, where, all too often, GBV hides behind facades and where the very essence of care and compassion are tragically distorted into cruelty and suffering," says Benjamin Cowley, CEO of Gravel Road Distribution Group. 

"It's time to stop the scourge and stand up against this awful phenomenon. I hope that the film helps to raise understanding of the gravity of GBV in South Africa and that corporates come forward to play a role in elevating conversations around this important issue," Cowley concludes. 


Corporate organisations that wish to book a screening either in a cinema or at their own premises can visit Gravel Road's website or contact [email protected]. 

For more information, visit www.gravelroadafrica.com. You can also follow Gravel Road on Facebook, X or on Instagram.