Welcome to the first issue of SSAIC’s monthly reading list. Each month, we will curate a collection of videos, memes, books, articles, and other resources related to sexual violence. Check out our June selection:
- John Krakauer’s Missoula
This is excellent journalism from a well-established, credible writer and the story is bound to infuriate you; a timely read given the discussion surrounding the Brock Turner case. (If you need a primer, you can find all the relevant information on the controversial case here.)
A quick synopsis of this non-fiction book:
“A DOJ report released in December of 2014 estimates 110,000 women between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four are raped each year. Krakauer’s devastating narrative of what happened in Missoula makes clear why rape is so prevalent on American campuses, and why rape victims are so reluctant to report assault.” For more information visit his website; available through Chapters Indigo, Amazon, and at your local library.
- The Stanford Rape Victim’s Impact Statement
Speaking of Brock Turner, let’s turn our attention to the woman deserving of our attention: his victim. Her letter quickly went viral and for good reason: it’s a visceral, no-holds-barred account of her experience as a victim of sexual assault, and as a victim of media misrepresentation. Read the full letter here.
- A video that explains consent perfec-tea
(The pun will make sense in a moment!) If you have a hard time explaining consent, or need the perfect non-confrontational analogy to get your point across, let this video do the talking.
- An analysis of pop culture’s refusal to take male rape seriously
Bitch Media is a feminist magazine, worth checking out if you like well-written feminist commentary on all things pop-culture. In this article the author runs through some popular movies that misrepresent and even make a joke out of male sexual assault, and the issues that male survivors face on account of pop culture’s failure to take the issue seriously. Read the full article here.
- And finally, some good news!
Check out these Calgary heroes, who demonstrated courage and quick judgement in a difficult situation. They refused to be passive bystanders–they chose to act, and as a result a woman was saved from further abuse.
