The Origin

My name is Deidra Ritchhart, and I am the founder of this project. I am an advocate, a supporter of survivors, and a documentarian dedicated to exposing the systemic failures that keep justice out of reach for so many.

The Silence of Stillwater did not begin as a film — it began as a realization.

In May 2017, while a student at Oklahoma State University, I experienced a violent assault that changed the course of my life. When I sought help from the authorities, I expected the system to provide protection and support. Instead, I found myself facing an institution that seemed more interested in protecting perpetrators than in pursuing justice. From the Payne County Sheriff's Department to the District Attorney's office, I was met with victim-blaming, dismissal, and the systematic minimization of my trauma — despite providing clear evidence.

For a long time, I tried to survive by staying silent, minimizing what happened to me, and hoping the pain would eventually fade. But the pain didn't fade; the systems that failed me remained broken.

Now, nearly a decade later, I have returned to this history — not as a victim, but as an investigator. I have realized that my experience was not an isolated incident; it was a symptom of a larger, systemic failure that continues to silence survivors in this community today.

I am building this archive of public records, case files, and survivor testimonies to prove that this is a pattern, not a mistake. My goal is to hold these institutions accountable and to provide a platform for those who, like me, were told their story didn't matter.

If you have been told that what happened to you was your fault, or that justice is beyond your reach, I want you to know: You are not alone, it was never your fault, and your voice deserves to be heard.

Through this documentary and this platform, we are reclaiming our narrative. We are no longer waiting for the system to change — we are exposing it.