Denial: A Memoir of Terror by
"Denial is one of the most important books I have read in a decade....Brave, life-changing, and gripping as a thriller....A tour de force." --Naomi Wolf One of the world's foremost experts on terrorism and post-traumatic stress disorder, Jessica Stern has subtitled her book Denial, "A Memoir of Terror." A brave and astonishingly frank examination of her own unsolved rape at the age of fifteen, Denial investigates how the rape and its aftermath came to shape Stern's future and her work. The author of the New York Times Notable Book Terror in the Name of God, Jessica Stern brilliantly explores the nature of evil in an extraordinary volume that Louise Richardson, author of What Terrorists Want, calls, "Memorable, powerful and deeply courageous...a riveting read."
Know My Name by
Universally acclaimed, rapturously reviewed, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography, and an instant New York Times bestseller, Chanel Miller's breathtaking memoir "gives readers the privilege of knowing her not just as Emily Doe, but as Chanel Miller the writer, the artist, the survivor, the fighter." (The Wrap). "I opened Know My Name with the intention to bear witness to the story of a survivor. Instead, I found myself falling into the hands of one of the great writers and thinkers of our time. Chanel Miller is a philosopher, a cultural critic, a deep observer, a writer's writer, a true artist. I could not put this phenomenal book down." --Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love Warrior and Untamed "Know My Name is a gut-punch, and in the end, somehow, also blessedly hopeful." --Washington Post She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Stanford's campus. Her victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed, where it instantly went viral--viewed by eleven million people within four days, it was translated globally and read on the floor of Congress; it inspired changes in California law and the recall of the judge in the case. Thousands wrote to say that she had given them the courage to share their own experiences of assault for the first time. Now she reclaims her identity to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words. It was the perfect case, in many ways--there were eyewitnesses, Turner ran away, physical evidence was immediately secured. But her struggles with isolation and shame during the aftermath and the trial reveal the oppression victims face in even the best-case scenarios. Her story illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicts a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life. Know My Name will forever transform the way we think about sexual assault, challenging our beliefs about what is acceptable and speaking truth to the tumultuous reality of healing. It also introduces readers to an extraordinary writer, one whose words have already changed our world. Entwining pain, resilience, and humor, this memoir will stand as a modern classic. Chosen as a BEST BOOK OF 2019 by The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, TIME, Elle, Glamour, Parade, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, BookRiot
Shout by
A New York Times bestseller and one of 2019's best-reviewed books, a poetic memoir and call to action from the award-winning author of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson! Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she's never written about before. Described as "powerful," "captivating," and "essential" in the nine starred reviews it's received, this must-read memoir is being hailed as one of 2019's best books for teens and adults. A denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #MeToo and #TimesUp, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts, SHOUT speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice-- and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore.
Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement by
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Searing. Powerful. Needed." --Oprah "Sometimes a single story can change the world. Unbound is one of those stories. Tarana's words are a testimony to liberation and love." --Brené Brown From the founder and activist behind one of the largest movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the "me too" movement, Tarana Burke debuts a powerful memoir about her own journey to saying those two simple yet infinitely powerful words--me too--and how she brought empathy back to an entire generation in one of the largest cultural events in American history. Tarana didn't always have the courage to say "me too." As a child, she reeled from her sexual assault, believing she was responsible. Unable to confess what she thought of as her own sins for fear of shattering her family, her soul split in two. One side was the bright, intellectually curious third generation Bronxite steeped in Black literature and power, and the other was the bad, shame ridden girl who thought of herself as a vile rule breaker, not as a victim. She tucked one away, hidden behind a wall of pain and anger, which seemed to work...until it didn't. Tarana fought to reunite her fractured self, through organizing, pursuing justice, and finding community. In her debut memoir she shares her extensive work supporting and empowering Black and brown girls, and the devastating realization that to truly help these girls she needed to help that scared, ashamed child still in her soul. She needed to stop running and confront what had happened to her, for Heaven and Diamond and the countless other young Black women for whom she cared. They gave her the courage to embrace her power. A power which in turn she shared with the entire world. Through these young Black and brown women, Tarana found that we can only offer empathy to others if we first offer it to ourselves. Unbound is the story of an inimitable woman's inner strength and perseverance, all in pursuit of bringing healing to her community and the world around her, but it is also a story of possibility, of empathy, of power, and of the leader we all have inside ourselves. In sharing her path toward healing and saying "me too," Tarana reaches out a hand to help us all on our own journeys.
At the Dark End of the Street by
Here is the courageous, groundbreaking story of Rosa Parks and Recy Taylor--a story that reinterprets the history of America's civil rights movement in terms of the sexual violence committed against Black women by white men. "An important step to finally facing the terrible legacies of race and gender in this country." --The Washington Post Rosa Parks was often described as a sweet and reticent elderly woman whose tired feet caused her to defy segregation on Montgomery's city buses, and whose supposedly solitary, spontaneous act sparked the 1955 bus boycott that gave birth to the civil rights movement. The truth of who Rosa Parks was and what really lay beneath the 1955 boycott is far different from anything previously written. In this groundbreaking and important book, Danielle McGuire writes about the rape in 1944 of a twenty-four-year-old mother and sharecropper, Recy Taylor, who strolled toward home after an evening of singing and praying at the Rock Hill Holiness Church in Abbeville, Alabama. Seven white men, armed with knives and shotguns, ordered the young woman into their green Chevrolet, raped her, and left her for dead. The president of the local NAACP branch office sent his best investigator and organizer--Rosa Parks--to Abbeville. In taking on this case, Parks launched a movement that exposed a ritualized history of sexual assault against Black women and added fire to the growing call for change.
The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America by
Winner of the Labriola Center American Indian National Book Award Despite what major media sources say, violence against Native women is not an epidemic. An epidemic is biological and blameless. Violence against Native women is historical and political, bounded by oppression and colonial violence. This book, like all of Sarah Deer's work, is aimed at engaging the problem head-on--and ending it. The Beginning and End of Rape collects and expands the powerful writings in which Deer, who played a crucial role in the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013, has advocated for cultural and legal reforms to protect Native women from endemic sexual violence and abuse. Deer provides a clear historical overview of rape and sex trafficking in North America, paying particular attention to the gendered legacy of colonialism in tribal nations--a truth largely overlooked or minimized by Native and non-Native observers. She faces this legacy directly, articulating strategies for Native communities and tribal nations seeking redress. In a damning critique of federal law that has accommodated rape by destroying tribal legal systems, she describes how tribal self-determination efforts of the twenty-first century can be leveraged to eradicate violence against women. Her work bridges the gap between Indian law and feminist thinking by explaining how intersectional approaches are vital to addressing the rape of Native women. Grounded in historical, cultural, and legal realities, both Native and non-Native, these essays point to the possibility of actual and positive change in a world where Native women are systematically undervalued, left unprotected, and hurt. Deer draws on her extensive experiences in advocacy and activism to present specific, practical recommendations and plans of action for making the world safer for all.
The Crisis of Campus Sexual Violence by
Although awareness of campus sexual assault is at a historic high, institutional responses to incidents of sexual violence remain widely varied. In this volume, a diverse mix of expert contributors provide a critical, nuanced, and timely examination of some of the factors that inhibit effective prevention and response in higher education. Chapter authors take on one of the most troubling aspects of higher education today, bridging theory and practice to offer programmatic interventions and solutions to help institutions address their own competing interests and institutional culture to improve their practices and policies with regard to sexual violence. The Crisis of Campus Sexual Violence provides higher education scholars, administrators, and practitioners with a necessary and more holistic understanding of the challenges that colleges and universities face in implementing adequate and effective sexual assault prevention and response practices. 　
Not Someone Like Me by
"Not someone like me is a play about sexual assault based on five true stories ... With each womans story, the play explores a common theme: speaking out turns victims into survivors, if not heroes. Not someone like me aims to inspire audiences to tell their own stories--and put an end to the silence and the shame"--Page [4] of cover.
Voices of Courage by
From tragedy to triumph, inspiring lessons unfold in this one-of-a-kind book by twelve survivors of sexual assault. An eye-opening journal of personal growth and recovery, Voices of Courage will forever change your perspective on life after a sexual assault. All proceeds benefit organizations addressing sexual assault.
Fighting Words by
*Newbery Honor Book* *Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor* A candid and fierce middle grade novel about sisterhood and sexual abuse, by two-time Newbery Honor winner and #1 New York Times best seller Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, author of The War that Saved My Life Kirkus Prize Finalist Boston Globe Best Book of the Year Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Booklist Best Book of the Year Kirkus Best Book of the Year BookPage Best Book of the Year New York Public Library Best Book of the Year Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year Golden Kite Honor Book Rise: Feminist Book Project Selection ALSC Notable Book Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices Selection Junior Library Guild Selection "Fighting Words is raw, it is real, it is necessary, a must-read for children and their adults--a total triumph in all ways." --Holly Goldberg Sloan, New York Times bestselling author of Counting by 7s Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf--her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud. In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other. "Della's matter-of-fact narration manages to be as funny and charming as it is devastatingly sad. . . . This is a novel about trauma [but] more than that, it's a book about resilience, strength and healing. For every young reader who decides to wait . . . there will be others for whom this is the exact book they need right now." --New York Times Book Review "One of the most important books ever written for kids."--Colby Sharp of Nerdy Book Club "One for the history books."--Betsy Bird for A Fuse #8 Production/SLJ "Gripping. Life-changing...I am awe-struck."--Donna Gephart, author of Lily and Dunkin "Compassionate, truthful, and beautiful."--Elana K. Arnold, author of Damsel "I am blown away. [This] may be Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's best work yet."--Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You "A book that lets [kids] know they have never been alone. And never will be."--Kat Yeh, author of The Truth About Twinkie Pie "Meets the criteria of great children's literature that [will] resonate with adults too."--Bitch Media * "At once heartbreaking and hopeful."--Kirkus (starred review) * "Honest [and] empowering...An important book for readers of all ages."--SLJ (starred review) * "Sensitive[,] deft, and vivid."--BCCB (starred review) * "Prepare to read furiously."--Booklist (starred review) * "An essential, powerful mirror and window for any reader."--PW (starred review) * "Enlightening, empowering and--yes--uplifting."--BookPage (starred review) * "Unforgettable."--The Horn Book (starred review)
Girl Made of Stars by
For readers of Girl in Pieces and The Way I Used to Be comes an emotionally gripping story about facing hard truths in the aftermath of sexual assault. Mara and Owen are as close as twins can get, so when Mara's friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn't know what to think. Can her brother really be guilty of such a violent act? Torn between her family and her sense of right and wrong, Mara feels lost, and it doesn't help that things are strained with her ex-girlfriend, Charlie. As Mara, Hannah, and Charlie come together in the aftermath of this terrible crime, Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits into her future. With sensitivity and openness, this timely novel confronts the difficult questions surrounding consent, victim blaming, and sexual assault.
Hush by
Inside the closed community of Borough Park, where most Chassidim live, the rules of life are very clear, determined by an ancient script written thousands of years before down to the last detail--and abuse has never been a part of it. But when thirteen-year-old Gittel learns of the abuse her best friend has suffered at the hands of her own family member, the adults in her community try to persuade Gittel, and themselves, that nothing happened. Forced to remain silent, Gittel begins to question everything she was raised to believe. A richly detailed and nuanced book, one of both humor and depth, understanding and horror, this story explains a complex world that remains an echo of its past, and illuminates the conflict between yesterday's traditions and today's reality.
Not in Room 204 by
At a report card conference, Mrs. Salvador informs Regina's mom that Regina is doing a great job, but she is very quiet. Regina thinks of the secret she keeps so quiet--the one even her mom doesn't know. Will Regina find the courage to tell Mrs. Salvador her terrible secret? This helpful book provides a tool for adults to gently discuss sexual abuse with young children.
Speak by
The groundbreaking National Book Award Finalist and Michael L. Printz Honor Book with more than 3.5 million copies sold, Speak is a bestselling modern classic about consent, healing, and finding your voice. "Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, an outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, Melinda becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back--and refuses to be silent. From Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award laureate Laurie Halse Anderson comes the extraordinary landmark novel that has spoken to millions of readers. Powerful and utterly unforgettable, Speak has been translated into 35 languages, was the basis for the major motion picture starring Kristen Stewart, and is now a stunning graphic novel adapted by Laurie Halse Anderson herself, with artwork from Eisner-Award winner Emily Carroll. Awards and Accolades for Speak: A New York Times Bestseller A National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature A Michael L. Printz Honor Book An Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist A TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time A Cosmopolitan Magazine Best YA Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless of Age
Speak: the Graphic Novel by
The bestselling, award-winning modern classic Speak is now a stunning graphic novel--adapted by Laurie Halse Anderson herself and brought to life visually by Eisner Award winner Emily Carroll. "Speak up for yourself--we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, an outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops. Now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, Melinda becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back--and refuses to be silent. The groundbreaking National Book Award Finalist and Michael L. Printz Honor Book about consent, healing, and finding your voice comes alive for new audiences and fans of the original novel in Speak: The Graphic Novel.
#MeToo, Weinstein and Feminism by
"In a moment when scholars and activists are wrestling with the cultural and political impact of #MeToo, Boyle carefully parses the differences between a 'moment' and a movement, and importantly reminds us to think beyond the hashtag to consider history, political contradictions, and the limits of media visibility." ̶ Prof Sarah Banet-Weiser, LSE, Author Empowered: Popular Feminism & Popular Misogyny (2018) "Karen Boyle shows us how mainstream media coverage of the #MeToo moment re-focused our attention away from violence towards women, towards the interests of men: men's right to sexual freedoms, and their right to have jokes and 'banter'. Her profound analysis asks us to reflect on the fundamental question: why do our media narratives STILL not ask why men rape?" ̶ Prof Heather Savigny, Professor of Gender, Media and Politics at De Montfort "Professor Boyle writes that she hopes to demonstrate how those in media studies might reintegrate and learn from feminist activism and interdisciplinary scholarship on men's violence against women. She can be congratulated in achieving this - providing an exemplary text demonstrating the crucial role of feminist media scholars in advancing theoretical and practical knowledge on pressing social problems." ̶ Prof Nicole Westmarland, Director, Durham University Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse. This book provides a feminist analysis of #MeToo and the sexual assault allegations against celebrity perpetrators which have emerged since Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey broke the Harvey Weinstein story in October 2017. It argues for the importance of understanding #MeToo in relation to a longer, and on-going, history of Anglo-American feminist activism, theory and interdisciplinary research on men's violence against women. The introduction argues for the importance of distinguishing between #MeToo as a hashtag and a movement. Chapter 2 investigates how speaking out about rape, sexual assault and harassment on social media can be understood in relation to second-wave feminist traditions of consciousness-raising, and concludes with an analysis of how feminism - and feminists - have featured in mainstream media coverage of the Weinstein case. Chapter 3 uses Liz Kelly's (1988) theorisation of the continuum of sexual violence to discuss how feminists understand connections between different forms of male violence against women and explores the challenges of translating feminist theory into media commentary. Chapter 4, The cultural value of abuse, examines that the cultural values associated with men's abuse with an emphasis on the film and television industries. The book concludes with an exploration of what the #MeToo era has meant for men, focusing first on men as victim/survivors, before moving on to consider how alleged perpetrators are situated in relation to narratives of victimisation and of monstrosity. Karen Boyle (@ProfKarenBoyle) is Professor of Feminist Media Studies and Programme Director for Applied Gender Studies at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland. Karen is the author of Media and Violence: Gendering the Debates (2005), editor of Everyday Pornography (2010) and co-founder of Gender Equal Media Scotland (@EqualMediaScot). .
Alcohol and Sexual Violence by
This book provides a chronology of the 68th Nebraska Symposium on Motivation, which is focused on contemporary research knowledge about sexual violence and alcohol use. This book is more specific to dating and intimate partner sexual violence in young adult populations. The target audience is researchers, prevention agencies and policymakers within academia and military settings. Alcohol use has long been recognized as a major contributor to sexual assault, with an estimated 50% of sexual assaults in the U.S. involving drinking by the victim, perpetrator, or both. Beyond the usual harmful effects, alcohol-involved assaults are associated with unique sequelae for female victims, including increased self-blame, stigma, and greater alcohol use to cope. Moreover, heavier drinking on the part of the perpetrator is associated with more serious incidents of assault (e.g., involving physical force) that result in more severe outcomes for victims. The purpose of this Symposium on Motivation is to bring together a group of experts in the areas of alcohol and sexual aggression to articulate the causes, consequences, and mechanisms of alcohol-involved sexual assault. Speakers will talk about classic and contemporary research and theories on these issues using cutting-edge approaches (e.g., virtual reality, neuroscience, laboratory-based alcohol administration) from a variety of perspectives (perpetrators, victims, bystanders).
Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture by
The role of men is critical when it comes to preventing sexual assault.Gordon Braxton was in his second year of college before anybody bothered to speak to him about sexual violence, despite the fact that he already knew friends and family members that had survived a sexual assault. Unfortunately, this is a common experience as many young men and boys, especially Black boys, do not have an opportunity to discuss their views on sexual violence and what role they might play in preventing it. Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture supports the training of a rising generation by providing commentary from an experienced educator, an overview of existing research and preventative techniques, and insight into young men's perspectives on violence. The result is a powerful new perspective on violence prevention - the first to focus on Black boys and to be written by a Black male author.The most critical lesson that boys need to learn is that they have an essential role to play in preventing sexual violence. So many of them accept this violence as beyond their control when they could be valuable agents of change. More and more parents and mentors of boys are coming to address sexual violence as a cultural problem rather than the activities of isolated social deviants. Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture adds an important voice to our discussions about sexual violence education and prevention, showing that a rising generation of boys will play a vital part in realizing a non-violent future.
Handbook of Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault Prevention by
This timely handbook provides in-depth overviews of the myriad and multi-faceted issues surrounding sexual assault and its pervasiveness in today's culture. Drawing for multiple viewpoints and experts, the book is divided into seven comprehensive sections, covering such topics as risk factors, varying theoretical frameworks, prevention and intervention, and special populations. Within these sections the authors provide historical background as well as the latest research, and offer treatment outcomes and potentials. Selected topics covered in this book include: Feminist theories of sexual assault Social and economic factors surrounding sexual violence Mental, physiological, physical, and functional health concerns of victims, including PTSD Major categories of sexual offenders Treatment of sexual assault survivors in the LGBTQ+ community Procedural processes related to sexual assault investigation and adjudication within the criminal justice system The Handbook of Sexual Assault and Sexual Assault Prevention is a vital book that will appeal to a broad spectrum of students, researchers, practitioners, and clinicians in the fields of psychology, psychiatry, community mental health, and sociology.
The Limits of Consent: Sexual Assault and Affirmative Consent by
This open access book examines the ways that consent operates in contemporary culture, suggesting it is a useful starting point to respectful relationships. This work, however, seeks to delve deeper, into the more complicated aspects of sexual consent. It examines the ways meaningful consent is difficult, if not impossible, in relationships that involve intimate partner violence or family violence. It considers the way vulnerable communities need access to information on consent. It highlights the difficulties of consent and reproductive rights, including the use (and abuse) of contraception and abortion. Finally, it considers the ways that young women are reshaping narratives of sexual assault and consent, as active agents both online and offline. Though this work considers victimisation, it also pays careful attention to the ways vulnerable groups take up their rights and understand and practice consent in meaningful ways. Lisa Featherstone is Professor and Head of School of the School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry at the University of Queensland, Australia. Cassandra Byrnes is Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia. Jenny Maturi is Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia. Kiara Minto is Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia. Renée Mickelburgh is Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Queensland, Australia. Paige Donaghy is Associate Lecturer and Research Assistant at the University of Queensland, Australia.
Men After #MeToo : Being an Ally in the Fight Against Sexual Harrasement by
Grounded in an explicit focus on men's roles and responsibilities in the fight against sexual harassment, this book creates a deeper understanding of why sexual harassment against women occurs and how we, as a society, can better respond to and prevent it. Integrating theoretical analyses with empirical data from interviews with 25 Danish men, the author argues that if we want to eradicate the social and cultural tolerance of sexual harassment and the victim blaming of women, then we need a paradigm-shifting perspective. This book investigates the framing of the debates on sexual harassment, just as it looks deeper into the socialization processes of men, and raises the question of why so many men feel entitled to sexually harass women. This book also explores what part men can play in combating sexual harassment, emphasizing that it is important not only to see men as perpetrators, but also as empowered bystanders. It argues that the #MeToo movement constitutes a potential instructive moment, presenting men with an opportunity for change.
Only Rape! Human Rights and Gender Equality for Refugee Women: From Refugee Camps to the United Nations by
This book charts the roller coaster ride taken by the authors over the past 33 years, in the ongoing fight to acknowledge, prevent, and respond to the rape and sexual abuse of women in conflict and displacement situations. They have worked with an international network of academics, refugee women, and human rights activists in 22 countries. The story moves between refugee camps and the United Nations, refugee settlements in cities and national governments. Theory and ethical research methods are an important part of the story. At times it is very confronting, sometimes amusing and often uplifting. Eileen Pittaway, adjunct associate professor was director of the Centre for Refugee Research, UNSW for 14 years. The major focus of her work is the prevention of and response to the rape, sexual abuse, and gender-based violence experienced by refugee women, and the fight for their voices to be included in solutions. In 2012, she was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her work with refugees. Linda Albina Bartolomei is a co-convenor of the UNSW Forced Migration Research Network (FMRN). For over 20 years she has been engaged in action research projects exploring the challenges faced by refugee women and girls at risk in camps and urban settings. She is currently co-leading a multi-year project in four countries in the Asia- Pacific to support the implementation and monitoring of the commitments to refugee women and girls in the Global Compact on Refugees.
Rape by the Numbers: Producing and Contesting Scientific Knowledge About Sexual Violence by
Science plays a substantial, though under-acknowledged, role in shaping popular understandings of rape. Statistical figures like "1 in 4 women have experienced completed or attempted rape" are central for raising awareness. Yet such scientific facts often become points of controversy, particularly as conservative scholars and public figures attempt to discredit feminist activists. Rape by the Numbers explores scientists' approaches to studying rape over more than forty years in the United States and Canada. In addition to investigating how scientists come to know the scope, causes, and consequences of rape, this book delves into the politics of rape research. Scholars who study rape often face a range of social pressures and resource constraints, including some that are unique to feminized and politicized fields of inquiry. Collectively, these matters have far-reaching consequences. Scientific projects may determine who counts as a potential victim/survivor or aggressor in a range of contexts, shaping research agendas as well as state policy, anti-violence programming and services, and public perceptions. Social processes within the study of rape determine which knowledges count as credible science, and thus who may count as an expert in academic and public contexts.
Super-Women : Superhero Therapy for Women Battling Anxiety, Depression, and Trauma by
Discover your own superpowers, and be the hero you were meant to be! Do you suffer from depression, anxiety, or trauma? Have you experienced sexism, marginalization, or even sexual assault? If so, each day can feel like a battle. But you do have the strength within you to rise above life's challenges. Using a unique blend of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and "superhero therapy," this one-of-a-kind guide will help you get started. In Super-Women, you'll find tools to help you explore and process painful experiences, accept difficult thoughts and feelings, and use mindfulness and self-compassion to tap into your own unique superpowers. Alongside seven other heroic women, you'll learn how to re-write your "origin story" and find compassionate tips and strategies to help you define your own heroic purpose. Joining you will be notable women from all around the world, who've submitted their stories and words of encouragement. These women include writers, such as Anne Wheaton, Felicia Day, and Jane Espenson; actors such as Chase Masterson and Ruth Connell; and comedians, activists, and other women who like you understand first-hand how difficult--yet empowering--it can be to be female in a patriarchal society. So, if you're ready to rise from the ashes and join the leagues of super-women everywhere, read this book. You may discover powers you never even knew you had!
Becoming Unbecoming by
This extraordinary graphic novel is a powerful denunciation of sexual violence against women. As seen through the eyes of a twelve-year-old girl named Una, it takes place in northern England in 1977, as the Yorkshire Ripper, a serial killer of prostitutes, is on the loose and creating panic among the townspeople. As the police struggle in their clumsy attempts to find the killer, and the headlines in the local paper become more urgent, a once self-confident Una teaches herself to "lower her gaze" in order to deflect attention from boys. After she is "slut-shamed" at school for having birth control pills, Una herself is the subject of violent acts for which she comes to blame herself. But as the police finally catch up with and identify the killer, Una grapples with the patterns of behaviour that led her to believe she was to blame. Becoming Unbecoming combines various styles, press clippings, photo-based illustrations, and splashes of colour to convey young Una's sense of confusion and rage, as well as sobering statistics on sexual violence against women. The book is a no-holds-barred indictment of sexual violence against women and the shame and blame of its victims that also celebrates the empowerment of those able to gain control over their selves and their bodies.
Like a Bird by
A revolutionary story of empowerment and redemption, Like a Bird is the highly anticipated debut novel from Fariha Róisín, author of the poetry collection How to Cure A Ghost One of Vogue and Refinery29's Most Anticipated Books of the Fall Taylia Chatterjee has never known love, and certainly has never felt it for herself. Growing up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, with her older sister Alyssa, their parents were both overbearing and emotionally distant, and despite idyllic summers in the Catskills, and gatherings with glamorous family friends, there is a sadness that emanates from the Chatterjee residence, a deep well of sorrow stemming from the racism of American society. After a violent sexual assault, Taylia is disowned by her parents and suddenly forced to move out. As Taylia looks to the city, the ghost of her Indian grandmother dadi-ma is always one step ahead, while another more troubling ghost chases after her. Determined to have the courage to confront the pain that her family can't face, Taylia finds work at a neighborhood café owned by single mother and spiritualist, Kat. Taylia quickly builds a constellation of friends and lovers on her own, daring herself to be open to new experiences, even as they call into question what she thought she knew about the past. Taylia's story is about survival, coming to terms with her past and looking forward to a future she never felt she was allowed to claim. Writing this for eighteen years, poet and activist Fariha Róisín's debut novel is an intense, provocative, and emotionally profound portrait of an inner life in turmoil and the redemptive power of community and love.
Out of Darkness by
A Michael L. Printz Honor Book"This is East Texas, and there's lines. Lines you cross, lines you don't cross. That clear?"New London, Texas. 1937. Naomi Vargas and Wash Fuller know about the lines in East Texas as well as anyone. They know the signs that mark them. They know the people who enforce them. But sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines. And the consequences can be explosive.Ashley Hope Pérez takes the facts of the 1937 New London school explosion--the worst school disaster in American history--as a backdrop for a riveting novel about segregation, love, family, and the forces that destroy people."[This] layered tale of color lines, love and struggle in an East Texas oil town is a pit-in-the-stomach family drama that goes down like it should, with pain and fascination, like a mix of sugary medicine and artisanal moonshine."--The New York Times Book Review"Pérez deftly weaves [an] unflinchingly intense narrative....A powerful, layered tale of forbidden love in times of unrelenting racism."―starred, Kirkus Reviews"This book presents a range of human nature, from kindness and love to acts of racial and sexual violence. The work resonates with fear, hope, love, and the importance of memory....Set against the backdrop of an actual historical event, Pérez...gives voice to many long-omitted facets of U.S. history."―starred, School Library Journal
Take It As a Compliment by
Gold medal winner in the 'Independent Spirit' category of the Independent Publishers Outstanding Book of the Year Awards 2016 "I was fifteen." "I never saw him again." "They chanted after me, 'Oscar the Grouch, Oscar the Grouch." Bringing together the voices of males and females of all ages, the stories in this collective graphic memoir reflect real life experiences of sexual abuse, violence and harassment. Each experience is brought to life by Maria Stoian's exceptional artwork. Her unique and varied styles powerfully reflect the tone and mood of the different stories and in just a few pages express the complex emotions felt by victims of sexual abuse. Covering acts such as sexual violence, public sexual harassment, domestic abuse and child abuse, this is a reminder for survivors that they are not alone and a call for all of us to take action. The stories clearly show that assault of any type is not an honour bestowed on anyone. It is not a compliment.