Daughters: A Powerful Look at Fatherhood Behind Bars
Experts from the Fathers Together study, a joint initiative by City, University of London and UCL, recently had a private screening of the upcoming Netflix documentary "Daughters." The film explores the impact of incarceration on families, particularly the father-daughter bond.
"Daughters" follows four young girls and their imprisoned fathers as they prepare for a daddy-daughter dance, marking the conclusion of a 12-week fatherhood program in a Washington D.C. jail. The documentary offers an honest glimpse into the devastating effects of incarceration on parent-child relationships and highlights the vital role family bonds play in reintegration and desistance from crime.
The film delves into the challenges faced by these families, including the girls' struggles to connect with fathers they may barely remember and the emotional toll of limited in-person visits due to policy changes. Despite these hurdles, the dedication of the fathers to the program, which boasts a remarkable 95% success rate in preventing reoffending, offers hope for meaningful change.
The Fathers Together study, conducted in partnership with the Race Equality Foundation, focuses on strengthening families and communities. The research team, which includes a lived experience group of Black men with firsthand experience of imprisonment as fathers, recognized the striking similarities between the challenges depicted in "Daughters" and those faced by families in the UK prison system. These commonalities include punitive measures, restricted visitation rights, inconsistent family support, and racial disparities.
The screening discussion, which included the film's directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae, highlighted the crucial importance of consistency in maintaining family relationships despite the challenges of imprisonment. The emotional reunions and joy at the dance demonstrate the vital need for human connection, often denied in prison settings.
Following the screening, members of the Fathers Together lived experience group shared their personal experiences, revealing the profound impact of incarceration on their lives as fathers. One participant expressed a yearning to be with his children, recognizing the pain he had caused, while another spoke of his longing for physical touch during his 10-year sentence and his reliance on a smuggled phone to read bedtime stories to his children.
"Daughters" is a powerful and moving portrayal of the challenges faced by families affected by incarceration. The film's message resonates with the Fathers Together study, emphasizing the significance of family relationships in effective rehabilitation. As Dr. Mehay, a Senior Research Fellow at City and a co-lead of the Fathers Together project, stated, "We must shift the narrative that 'prisoner' and 'good father' are mutually exclusive labels, and instead provide support for both to be possible."
"Daughters" is scheduled to air on Netflix on August 14th.
