Reviews with content warning for Rape - Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

Reviews tagging 'Rape'

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town by Jon Krakauer

68 reviews

xiaomin09's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional medium-paced

3.5

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therapy_book's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.75

I have never read a book by Krakauer before, I am glad to have been able to pick this one up as my first. The women's stories in this book were powerful, impactful, horrifying. Weaved with intent, to open your eyes to the troubles of the many who report rape and go through hell only to relive and feel belittled by the justice system. What was so unnerving to me was that statistically there are less rapes (filed) in Missoula than most other college towns and yet still so many of the survivors felt unheard, blamed, tossed aside by the system.
Krakauer's blurb at the end about not realizing how prevalent this was till women in his own life told him and how he felt guilt for not knowing more or doing more is something I've heard from a lot of men who have had the privilege of not feeling scared or hearing other survivors tell them their survival stories. Krakauer made it a mission to expose the pretty blatant faults he saw with how these cases are handled.

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leoniemacleod's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.5

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stacieh's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative sad slow-paced

5.0

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iadoreforks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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cait's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

I met my first boyfriend when I was 19. I had never held hands, didn't know how to kiss, never had sex. Growing up in a strict Catholic household, I had it in my head that I was going to save my first sexual experience for marriage.

He wanted to go further, but I told him no. By the time we'd been dating for two months, it became a constant push. Sometimes literally, with his hand on my head, but I resisted & he got mad & still I refused.

One night, at a mutual friend's house, I'd had too much to drink, we'd argued again about my reluctance to engage in sexual activities, & he said he'd take me home. I don't remember much after that except him stopping his truck in the middle of nowhere, headlights shining in through his back window, the shock of pain. I remember texting my best friend, later, to say, "So I guess I'm not a virgin anymore." I have no memory of her ever texting me back, of she & I ever discussing what happened after.

I began to engage in risky behaviors afterwards. I cried a lot. I stopped sleeping. I learned not to tell anyone about that night because doing so made him so angry. I became irritable to those around me. I partied & drank until I blacked out. I stayed with him. I tried to break up with him. He wouldn't let me.

When it was finally over, I was physically sick for months. I lost so much weight that tights fit as pants & I couldn't open vehicle doors without help. I continued with my risky behaviors. He spread rumors about me, negatively impacted my social circle, & made me think I was crazy.

And then, by accident, I found myself in a relationship with one of his friends. And then, after some time had passed, I told the friend about that night. He paused for a long moment & then he said, "He raped you."

It seems strange to say it now, but: If an outside male presence hadn't said it, I never would have either. But it's true. I did not consent. I never consented. That made it rape. My control over my body was taken from me & my distress afterwards was because I had been violated. I had been raped.

I never reported the incident to authorities. It took over 5 years for me to seek treatment from my doctor for the depression & anxiety I had experienced since that time. I have now been in cognitive-behavioral therapy for 3 years & my therapist tells me that my reactions, my confusion, my residual sadness & anxiety are normal reactions for victims of sexual assault. I know that, had I gone to police, the only one who would have suffered for it was me.

All this to say that my first 5-star read of 2021 is going to Missoula because of its hard, unblinking portrayal of acquaintance rape, its aftereffects, & the subsequent failures of the judicial system. Not only did it teach me things about my own experiences, but it made me feel so much less alone & inspired by the strong women who stood up & continue to stand for people like me, who are too afraid to stand up for ourselves.

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aj_paperback's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative reflective tense slow-paced

4.0

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wanderonwards's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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