This Book is a Page-Turner.
Jon Krakauer, who has written other awesome non-fiction books, such as Into The Wild and Into Thin Air, is a trustworthy investigative reporter who knows how to stir up a lot of emotions. I finished Missoula in two days because I could not put it down. The focus is on one college town, but the saddest part is that, far from being the infamous "rape capital of America," rape statistics in Missoula, Montana are below the national average.
Most Victims Know Their Rapists
This book did a tremendous job of debunking the myth that rapists are crazy psychos with weapons who jump out of bushes or climb through an open window. Twenty percent of all women in the U.S have been raped in their lifetimes, and the majority of victims know their assailant; moreover, 80% never report it to the police. Many never even say a word to anyone out of fear, guilt, or self-blame. This is especially true in non-stranger rape because women (or men) think they were in some way responsible: if only I didn't get drunk, maybe I led him on, I shouldn't have gone back to his house, I should have known better, I should have screamed, punched, kicked. However, the most insightful research came from the trial of Jordan Johnson when clinical psychologist Dr. David Lisak took the stand for the prosecution.
Dr. Lisak said, "There is an enormous variability in how victims react in sexual assault. It is a common assumption that any woman threatened with being raped would do anything in her power to physically resist, but we find that most do not resist. There are also many different kinds of responses. Victims of non-stranger rape are often very confused about what happened. They may be very distressed, but they don't automatically label what happened to them as rape. It's overwhelming, and one of the first reactions for many people is to try to undo it, to pretend like it didn't happen."
Rape Culture is Real
When it comes to rape, society often blames the victim; however, much of the real blame falls on the shoulders of our justice system that "stacks the deck more heavily against sexual assault victims than victims of any other crimes." It is so frustrating what counts as justice in this country. I was so angry reading this book, but it does end in a hopeful way, that change is happening slowly on campuses and in police departments and in county attorneys' offices. We must be vocal, and we must bear witness, and I highly recommend that you read this book.