Tag Archives: sexual assault

Learning to Breathe

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*Trigger Warning for Sexual Assault*

A victim of rape, sixteen-year-old Indira struggles to conceal her pregnancy from her family, even though it was her cousin who assaulted her.

Indy has tried to do what her grandmother encouraged: to do well in school, to not let boys take advantage of her. So that she doesn’t end up like her mother, who was also sexually assaulted resulting in Indy’s birth.

Having been sent to live with relatives in Nassau, Indy feels that she cannot escape from  her mother’s past. And how long can she hide her pregnancy from her aunt?

Indy tries to find a place where she will be safe. And she struggles with pressure to have an abortion. She is conflicted.

This is difficult story to read because of the graphic description of rape and assault. But I recommend it to readers interested in the #MeToo movement. Also, those who enjoy realistic fiction such as American Street.

Girl Made of Stars

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Girl Made of Stars is a hard-hitting critique of rape culture and focuses on the ways victims are silenced by the disbelief of others. Sister and brother twins, Mara and Owen, are very close and Mara thinks she knows Owen as well as she knows herself.  When Mara’s friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara cannot believe it. How could her brother be guilty of such a violent crime? And why would he do such a thing to Mara’s good friend? But why would Hannah tell a lie like this? Mara is conflicted: how can she support her brother? And Hannah?

Further complicating her life is that things are strained with Mara’s ex-girlfriend and best friend since childhood, Charlie. Charlie is bi, and has not come out to her family.  And then there a boy that Mara likes, Alex. As the story progresses Mara, Hannah, and Charlie navigate new terrain.  Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide if Charlie fits in her future.

Girl Made of Stars presents a different take on a story about rape in that the point of view is not from that of the victim or that of the perpetrator; it’s from the point of view of those around them, the ones are caught in the middle.

The author provides a list of resources for victims of sexual assault, including a phone number for the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy realistic fiction,  stories of girl/women empowerment, friendships, brother-sister relationships, and courage.

The Art of Breaking Things by Laura Sibson

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Trigger warning: The Art of Breaking Things includes domestic violence, drug use, grooming, sexual assault, and PTSD.

Skye is a seventeen year old HS senior who plans to attend art school after graduation. She can’t wait to get the heck out of town after graduation, and spends her time outside of school partying, and is popular with the boys because of her reputation of being “easy” when she is drunk. Her dad is absent, her mom is often drunk, leaving Skye with the responsibility of parenting her eleven year old sister, Emma. Skye thinks she’ll make it through the end of the school year, but when she learns that her mom is hooking up with an old boyfriend, Skye’s life starts to fall apart. Her memories of this man, who sexually assaulted her when she was twelve, brings a wave a PTSD, and the fear that if she doesn’t take action, he’ll have the opportunity to harm Emma once Skye is off to art school.

This story may remind the reader of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak. We see a girl embrace the power of her voice. Skye won’t stay silent.

No More Excuses: Dismantling Rape Culture

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After the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal became public in late 2017, the #MeToo movement went viral. Girls and women spoke up about the assaults so many have faced (the CDC reports that 1 in 5 women are raped during their lifetimes), and the sexual harassment that many more face daily. And it is not only females. Surveys report that as many as 1 in 33 boys and men have experienced sexual assault. Shockingly, only 3% of rapists ever serve time in jail. With the spotlight currently on sexual assault, it is timely that No More Excuses: Dismantling Rape Culture has been published (January, 2019). This text on rape culture explores gender norms, the intersection of race and gender, and how the transgender population is disproportionately affected by rape. The author, Amber Keyser also discusses restorative justice and how it can be used by all those affected in cases of sexual assault or harassment.

The book highlights some high profile cases, such as the “Stanford Swimmer” Brook Turner, and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. There are quotes from teens, politicians, activists, and feminists. The highly readable format includes photos with captions, inserts, extensive source notes, a glossary, further reading lists of both fiction and nonfiction, films, and hashtags. There is a section on current legislation such as Title IX and age-of-consent laws.