Sex Crimes Unit (film)

Sex Crimes Unit is a 2011 documentary film by filmmaker Lisa F. Jackson featuring the work of the unit of the New York County District Attorney's office dedicated to the prosecution of rape and sexual assault. The film premiered on HBO on June 20, 2011.

## Synopsis

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The film "examines the history of injustice toward rape survivors, trails the unit through its investigations, tracks the case of a prostitute who dared cry rape, and follows one survivor's 16-year journey to justice". Assistant D.A. Lisa Friel "serves as the audience's window"[1] as the film follows members of the unit dealing with several rape cases, notably a 20-year-old case which became the first "John Doe" conviction in which archived DNA from a rape kit was matched to a perpetrator later arrested for another crime.[citation needed] Natasha Alexenko participated in the documentary.[2]

## Critical reception

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Sex Crimes Unit has been widely praised by critics, with John Anderson of Variety calling it "the real thing" and continuing that "Sex Crimes Unit has drama, suspense, terrific personalities and a great deal of heart".[3] Positive notices for Sex Crimes Unit appeared in The Washington Post,[4] Time,[5] The New York Times,[6] the Daily News,[7] Variety,[3] Bitch,[1] Ms.,[8] and others.[9][10][11]

## References

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1. ^ a b L. A., M. "Sex Crimes Unit." Bitch Magazine: Feminist Response To Pop Culture 52 (2011): 71.
2. ^ Sandomir, Richard (November 12, 2024). "Natasha Alexenko, Who Exposed Backlog of Rape Cases, Dies at 51". New York Times. Retrieved 2024-11-17.
3. ^ a b Variety Reviews - Sex Crimes Unit - Film Reviews - L.A. Fest - Review by John Anderson
4. ^ The Washington Post[dead link‍]
5. ^ Q&A: Director Lisa F. Jackson on 'Sex Crimes Unit' and DSK - TIME
6. ^ Shop Talk for Prosecutors in Sex Crimes Cases - NYTimes.com
7. ^ 'Sex Crimes Unit' review: Real-life case workers work with nuts and bolts of crimes, provide history - New York Daily News
8. ^ Inside The Real SVU: Lisa Jackson’s “Sex Crimes Unit” : Ms. Magazine Blog
9. ^ LA Film Festival Review – SEX CRIMES UNIT | Very Aware | Movie and TV news, reviews and other goodness Archived 2012-08-04 at the Wayback Machine
10. ^ Summer Doc Series: Sex Crimes Unit | Film School Rejects
11. ^ Movie, Video Game and Music News, Reviews, Trailers and Interviews : Shockya.com

## External links

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* Website for Sex Crimes Unit
* IMDB page for Sex Crimes Unit