La Jolla-grown filmmaker Yoav Potash, called “Joe” by classmates during his school days, will have a short-yet-sweet homecoming by showcasing his highly acclaimed, award-winning film, “Crime After Crime,” at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center on Oct. 27. Proceeds from the film screening will benefit Project SARAH (Stop Abusive Relationships At Home) — a Jewish Family Service program that provides counseling, case management, therapeutic support groups and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence and other forms of abuse. “Crime After Crime” is a documentary film that takes an intimate look into the case of Debbie Peagler — a victim of domestic abuse and sex trafficking by her boyfriend — and the efforts of two rookie land-use lawyers who fought for Peagler’s freedom after she was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for collaboration in her abuser’s murder. “I was blown away by the film,” said Cheryl Bruser, Project SARAH’s outreach coordinator. “Some of the things that stick out to me are the resilience of Debbie. She keeps getting knocked down and dealt terrible cards, starting with the abuse and continuing with the courts, but she keeps a positive attitude.” Potash learned of Peagler’s story from friend Joshua Safran who, despite having no experience in criminal law, reopened Peagler’s case pro bono with fellow land-use attorney Nadia Costa. “After I heard a little bit of Debbie’s story from him, I agreed to meet her,” Potash said. “Once I met her, I was hooked.” As his first full-length film, Potash never anticipated the film, which he expected to be completed in one year, would stretch out to a fascinating ride involving five and a half years of filming. “Sometimes that’s the nature of filmmaking — following the story as it unfolds,” he said. “There was no way to predict certain twists and turns in her story.” During the filmmaking process, Peagler had the unusual privilege of gaining an unprecedented level of access in two unlikely filming locations — a maximum-security prison and a law firm — to reveal the inner workings of the criminal justice system’s failures. “I hope that the film wakes people up and shakes people up a bit about the prevalence of domestic violence and sex trafficking,” he said. “More specifically, how especially women who have been abused and have ended up in prison for fighting back against an abuser have never had a chance to have their stories fully heard and properly looked at in court or anywhere else.” Potash said at the time of filming California was the only state that legally allowed incarcerated survivors of domestic violence to petition for relief. Now, due in part to the efforts of nonprofit campaigns such as Potash and Safran’s “Debbie’s Campaign,” there is an effort under way in five other states to pass a similar law. “The court never looked at the fact that she was abused, that she had been prostituted by force. They only looked at this narrow slice of a story,” he said. “This is an effort to use this film to create change on the ground and across the country so Debbie’s story doesn’t repeat itself.” He iterated it only takes a handful of people — very dedicated people like those involved in Project SARAH — to generate a few great strides that can turn a dire situation around. This year, there have already been 16 domestic abuse-related homicides in San Diego County, said Bruser. Last fiscal year, the number of Project SARAH’s clients hit a record high of 325 and the nonprofit has expanded its staff to accommodate for any victim who is in need of their services. “One of the things we are trying to get across is that abuse can happen to anybody,” she said. “There is a point in the film when Nadia says that abuse doesn’t just happen in South Central L.A. People don’t like to hear that it happens in their own community.” General admission tickets to the film screening of “Crime After Crime,” including a post-film Q&A session with Potash and Safran, is $20. VIP admission, which includes preferred seating, pre-film wine and cheese reception with the filmmaker and post-film Q&A dessert reception, is $40. Tickets are available until the day of the event and can be purchased at the door. To purchase tickets beforehand or to donate to Project SARAH, call (858) 637-3200 or visit www.jfssd.org/projectsarah.