Convalescence. It's the process of getting better and time spent recovering from an illness or medical treatment.

It's also the title of Otumoetai College's student-directed short film, which aims to raise awareness of sexual assault and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Director Reanna Inglis, 16, cinematographer Lauren Curtis, 16, and producer Lauren Stephenson, 17. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Year 12 students Reanna Inglis, Lauren Stephenson, Caitlin Fleming, Lauren Curtis and Tammika Cairns' film has been selected as a finalist in the Australian/International Short Film Festival ‘Focus on Ability'.

Producer Lauren Stephenson says reading and hearing of women's stories of sexual assault via blogs and YouTube videos was difficult to take in.

'It was really hard to see what people go through,” says Lauren, 'and to know that there are people who go through this every day.

'It was really important to us that we tried to portray that in a way that was sympathetic to them so it wasn't blowing it out of context.”

Director Reanna says they were careful in the way they portrayed the aftermath of sexual assault on film.

'We took a lot of precaution to make it seem real,” she explains. 'We watched a lot of videos and blogs online to try to make it as real as possible as none of us have experienced it personally.”

Tauranga Moana Victim Support service co-ordinator Maree Nicholson says the students have portrayed the issue well.

'It backs up the message to seek help and keep doing so until you get the help you need,” says Maree.

The reality is, in most rape cases, the offender is known to the victim, she adds.

'Most are not violent and the abuse is silent, which can be hard for others to understand. 'Questions and comments including ‘why didn't you fight? Why did you let them do it? You must have asked for it the way you dressed' can affect recovery.”

Maree says there's also a perception that victims go back to the person they were before the incident, no matter what the incident was.

'But, in particular victims of sexual violence are mostly never the same because trust and safety issues take a long time to be resolved for the victim to find a ‘new way of being' and a ‘new way to live'.

'Court and police procedures can often add to the victimisation, as the victim feels they are being asked to prove the event occurred rather than the offender proving that it didn't.

'It's about remembering that it's not the victim's fault and remembering who the offender is.”

The students wish to thank everyone who was involved in the making of the film.

To view the film, visit: www.focusonabilitynz.com