"Dr Mukwege, you are a warrior for peace" - Oprah Winfrey Nobel laureate, world-renowned doctor and human rights activist, Dr Mukwege has dedicated his life to caring for victims of sexual violence. Over the past two decades living and working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he has stood up to soldiers and warlords, survived massacres and multiple assassination attempts, never swaying from his mission. In this book Dr Mukwege interweaves his own dramatic story with the experiences of a range of extraordinary characters: the women he has treated - many of whom, after suffering unspeakable brutality, have had the strength to heal and rebuild their lives - as well as the people he has worked with, and survivors of sexual violence whom he has met during his years of advocating for women's rights around the world. Early on in his career, Dr Mukwege realised what he was dealing with in the DRC was merely the extreme end of a global scourge. Sexual violence is the most common, under-reported and least prosecuted crime in the world. It does not occur in a vacuum. We are all implicated - whether the violence occurs in war-torn countries, or on college campuses in the West. The Power of Women is a rallying cry to rid our societies of violence against women, and to better learn from their resilience, strength and power. It challenges us to think about our own experiences and how all of us have a part to play in bringing about change. For Dr Mukwege, 'emotion without action' is meaningless. Read this book and say 'no' to indifference.

Sexual violence has become a topic of intense media scrutiny, thanks to the bravery of survivors coming forward to tell their stories. But, unfortunately, media reports too often portray sexual violence in a way that inhibits proper understanding of its causes, placing too much emphasis on individual responsibility or blaming minority cultures. Meanwhile, the perspective of survivors is too often ignored or discredited. In this powerful and original book, Linda Martin Alcoff maps out various strategies to help correct the misleading language of public debate about rape and sexual violence. She argues that we need to understand the role that language and ideas play in shaping our experiences of violation: if we are to change public attitudes to rape, we need to understand how we evaluate and interpret events. Rather than falling back on universal definitions, we need to be more sensitive to the local and personal contexts in which these crimes are committed: these contexts affect how activists and survivors protests will be received and understood. Moreover, even as we support survivors to speak out more forcefully, we should allow for their claims to be subjected to critical scrutiny: shutting down debate undermines activists credibility amongst a sceptical public. Combining the experiences of an activist, a philosopher and a survivor, Alcoff has written a book that will revolutionise the way we think about rape, finally putting the survivor centre stage.

'A real hero looks like Nice Leng'ete . . . [An] elegant and inspiring memoir' New York Times Nice Leng`ete was raised in a Maasai village in Kenya. In 1998, when Nice was six, her parents fell sick and died, and Nice and her sister Soila were taken in by their father's brother, who had little interest in the girls beyond what their dowries might fetch. Fearing "the cut" (female genital mutilation, a painful and sometimes deadly ritualistic surgery), which was the fate of all Maasai women, Nice and Soila climbed a tree to hide. Nice hoped to find a way to avoid the cut forever, but Soila understood it would be impossible. But maybe if one of the sisters submitted, the other would be spared. After Soila chose to undergo the surgery, sacrificing herself to save Nice, their lives diverged. Soila married, dropped out of school, and had children -- all in her teenage years -- while Nice postponed receiving the cut, continued her education, and became the first in her family to attend college. Supported by Amref, Nice used visits home to set an example for what an uncut Maasai woman can achieve. Other women listened, and the elders finally saw the value of intact, educated girls as the way of the future. The village has since ended FGM entirely, and Nice continues the fight to end FGM throughout Africa and the world. Nice's journey from "heartbroken child and community outcast, to leader of the Maasai" is an inspiration and a reminder that one person can change the world -- and every girl is worth saving.

Can the way a word is used give legitimacy to a political movement? Feminism, Violence, and Representation in Modern Italy traces the use of the word "femminicidio" (or "femicide") as a tool to mobilize Italian feminists, particularly the Union of Women in Italy (UDI). Based on nearly two years of fieldwork among feminist activists, Giovanna Parmigiani takes a broad look at the many ways in which violence inflects the lives of women in Italy. From unchallenged gendered grammar rules to the representation of women as victims, Parmigiani examines the devaluing of women's contribution to their communities through the words and experiences of the women she interviews. She describes the first uses of the word "femminicidio" as a political term used by and within feminist circles and traces its spread to ultimate legitimization and national relevance. The word redefined women as a political subject by building an imagined community of potentially violated women. In doing so, it challenged Italians to consider the status of women in Italian society, and to make this status a matter of public debate. It also problematized the connection between women and tropes of women as objects of suffering and victimhood. Parmigiani considers this exchange within the context of Italian Catholic heritage, a precarious economy, and long-held notions of honor and shame. Parmigiani provides a careful and searing consideration of the ways in which representations of violence and the politics of this representation are shaping the future of women in Italy and beyond.

Patients as Victims Sexual Abuse in Psychotherapy and Counselling Derek Jehu, University of Leicester, UK with specialist contributions from John Davis, Tanya Garrett, Linda Jorgenson and Gary Schoener There is growing concern at the number of complaints about sexual abuse of patients while undergoing therapy. This book discusses the ethical proscription of sex between therapists and patients, and the legal and professional regulation of abuse in both North America and Britain--including many very recent and important legislative developments. The author looks at characteristics which appear to place therapists at risk of abusing, together with some pre-conditions necessary for the occurrence of abuse. He also discusses certain characteristics which render patients vulnerable to abuse, the consequences of abuse for them, and the treatment of the problems they present. Practitioners and trainees in the professions of clinical psychology, psychiatry, nursing, counselling and social work will find this volume essential reading, particularly as it offers detailed guidance on treatment of abusive therapists and victimized patients. This book appears in The Wiley Series in Psychotherapy and Counselling Series Editors: Franz Epting, University of Florida, USA, Bonnie Strickland, University of Massachusetts, USA and John Allen, University of Brighton, UK

In a dramatic account of violence and espionage, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow exposes serial abusers and a cabal of powerful interests hell-bent on covering up the truth, at any cost.

In 2017, a routine network television investigation led Ronan Farrow to a story only whispered about: one of Hollywood's most powerful producers was a predator, protected by fear, wealth and a conspiracy of silence. As Farrow drew closer to the truth, shadowy operatives, from high-priced lawyers to elite war-hardened spies, mounted a secret campaign of intimidation, threatening his career, following his every move and weaponizing an account of abuse in his own family.

All the while, Farrow and his producer faced a degree of resistance that could not be explained - until now. And a trail of clues revealed corruption and cover-ups from Hollywood, to Washington and beyond.

This is the untold story of the tactics of surveillance and intimidation deployed by wealthy and connected men to threaten journalists, evade accountability and silence victims of abuse - and it's the story of the women who risked everything to expose the truth and spark a global movement.

Pussy grabbing; hot mommas; topless protest; nasty women. Whether hypersexualised, desexualised, venerated or maligned, women's bodies in public space continue to be framed as a problem. A problem that is discursively 'solved' by the continued proliferation of rape culture in everyday life. Indeed, despite the rise in research and public awareness about rape culture and sexism in contemporary debates, gendered violence continues to be normalised. Using case studies from the US and UK - the de/sexualised pregnancy, the troublesome naked protest, the errant BDSM player - Fanghanel interrogates how the female body is figured through, and revolts against, gendered violence. Rape culture currently thrives. This book demonstrates how it happens, the politics that are mobilised to sustain it, and how we might act to contest it.

" A beautifully written account of a great American tragedy--the unsolved murders of an undetermined number of young women, all by the same serial killer, who got away. The truth is still buried. I couldn't put it down." --John Grisham, #1 New York Times bestselling author A riveting deep dive into the unsolved murder of two free-spirited young women in the wilderness, a journalist's obsession--and a new theory of who might have done it. They must have been followed. That's the thought I return to after all these years . . . In May 1996, two skilled backcountry leaders, Lollie Winans and Julie Williams, entered Virginia's Shenandoah National Park for a week-long backcountry camping trip. The free-spirited and remarkable young couple had met and fallen in love the previous summer while working at a world-renowned outdoor program for women. During their final days in the park, they descended the narrow remnants of a trail and pitched their tent in a hidden spot. After the pair didn't return home as planned, park rangers found a scene of horror at their campsite, their tent slashed open, their beloved dog missing, and both women dead in their sleeping bags. The unsolved murders of Winans and Williams continue to haunt all who had encountered them or knew their story. When award-winning journalist and outdoors expert Kathryn Miles begins looking into the case, she discovers conflicting evidence, mismatched timelines, and details that just don't add up. With unprecedented access to crucial crime-scene forensics and key witnesses--and with a growing sense of both mission and obsession--she begins to uncover the truth. An innocent man, Miles is convinced, has been under suspicion for decades, while the true culprit is a known serial killer, if only authorities would take a closer look. Intimate, page-turning, and brilliantly reported, Trailed is a love story and a call to justice--and a searching and urgent plea to make wilderness a safe space for women--destined to become a true crime classic.

'Both inspiring and disturbing, Sex Cult Nun unravels Jones' complicated upbringing, the trauma she endured as a result and her eventual path to liberation.' TIME 'A moving story about family, courage, religious oppression, and more, and readers will have their heads spinning.' SHONDALAND 'Her gripping memoir-like Educated-takes you inside a disturbing childhood and leaves you marvelling at the resilience of the human spirit' PEOPLE MAGAZINE Faith Jones was raised to be part of an elite army preparing for the End Times. Isolated on a farm in Macau, she practised devotions and read letters of prophecy written by her grandfather, the leader of the now infamous cult, The Children of God. A direct decedent of the founding family, Faith featured in international media coverage - she was celebrated as extraordinary and then published doubly as a sharp reminder that she was not. With indomitable grit, Faith created a world of her own, pilfering books and educating herself in secret. At the age of 23, she escaped, abandoning her history, her inheritance and her legacy. While her childhood friends succumbed to addiction, suicide and prostitution, Faith fought her way into Georgetown University and went on to establish a successful career in law. Sex Cult Nun is an enthralling coming-of-age story that gives fascinating insight into the closed and complex world of extreme belief. Exploring the issues of psychological and physical control, Faith draws on her hard-won insight to interrogate the binaries of good and evil, and shed light on the insidiousness of oppression. At its heart, this extraordinary story is a stark warning about the consequences of surrendering our rights and responsibilities.

Scottee grew up around strong, brave and violent men and boys. Bravado is his memoir of working class masculinity from 1991 to 1999 as seen by a sheep in wolf's clothing. Scottee grew up on a council estate in Kentish Town, where as a child he knew the inside of every pub. In Bravado he goes back to the raw, harsh days of that childhood - growing up among men who worked hard, drank hard and fought hard. He describes his first fight, trying to prove himself to tougher boys and experiences of domestic and sexual abuse. Scottee also grapples with the contradictions of being a gay man who is attracted to working-class men, but also feels scarred by the experience of growing up with them. Bravado was devised as a show that would be performed in typically male, working-class environments such as pubs, garages or changing rooms, and that would be performed by a volunteer who would be paid GBP100 for reading the script, and receive counselling after the show. Bravado explores the graphic nature of maleness and the extent it will go to succeed. This show is not for the weak-hearted - it includes graphic accounts of violence, abuse, assault and sex.

In the award-winning Just Sex? The Cultural Scaffolding of Rape, Nicola Gavey provides an extensive commentary on the existing literature on rape, analysing recent research to examine the psychological and cultural conditions of possibility for contemporary sexual violence. Just Sex? argues that feminist theory on sexual victimization has gone both too far and not far enough. It presents the reader with a challenging and original perspective on the issues of rape, sex and the body, incorporating new material on sexism, misogyny and digital culture, as well as debates over gendered analyses of sexual violence. The second edition has been updated and expanded to be extremely timely and relevant, with the most recent high-profile rape cases - the Stanford rape case and the Belfast rape case - being tried in the media and online. The rise of the Hollywood Harvey Weinstein scandal and the #MeToo movement makes this book incredibly useful and necessary to those who are working within the area of sexual violence. This will appeal to academic readers studying psychology, sociology, and criminology, as well as those looking into cultural influences on society. It will also be very useful to those working in the professional sector on prevention and with people who have been subjected to sexual violence.

Severe abuse often occurs in settings where the grouping, whether based around a family or a community organisation or institution, outwardly appears to be very respectable. The nature of attachment dynamics allied with threat, discrediting, the manipulation of the victim's dissociative defences, long-term conditioning and the endless invoking of shame mean that sexual, physical and emotional abuse may, in some instances, be essentially unending. Even when separation from the long-term abuser is attempted, it may initially be extremely difficult to achieve, and there are some individuals who never achieve this parting. Even when the abuser is dead, the intrapsychic nature of the enduring attachment experienced by their victim remains complicated and difficult to resolve. This volume includes multiple perspectives from highly experienced clinicians, researchers and writers on the nature of the relationship between the abused and their abuser(s). No less than five of this international grouping of authors have been president of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, the world's oldest international trauma society. This book, which opens with a highly original clinical paper on 'weaponized sex' by Richard Kluft, one of the foremost pioneers of the modern dissociative disorders field, concludes with a gripping historical perspective written by Jeffrey Masson as he reengages with issues that first brought him to worldwide prominence in the 1980s. Between these two pieces, the contributors, all highly acclaimed for their clinical, theoretical or research work, present original, cutting edge work on this complex subject. This book was originally published as a double special issue of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation.

Personal stories of surviving after the trauma of sexual assault. In the era of #MeToo, we've become better at talking about sexual assault. But sexual assault isn't limited to a single, terrible moment of violence: it stays with survivors, following them wherever they go. Through the voices of twelve diverse writers, Whatever Gets You Through offers a powerful look at the narrative of sexual assault not covered by the headlines-the weeks, months, and years of survival and adaptation that people live through in its aftermath. With a foreword by Jessica Valenti, an extensive introduction by editors Stacey May Fowles and Jen Sookfong Lee, and contributions from acclaimed literary voices such as Alicia Elliott, Elisabeth de Mariaffi, Heather O'Neill, and Juliane Okot Bitek, the collection explores some of the many different forms that survival can take. From ice hockey to kink, boxing to tapestry-making, these striking personal essays address experiences as varied as the writers who have lived them. With candor and insight, each writer shares their own unique account of enduring: the everyday emotional pain and trauma, but also the incredible resilience and strength that can emerge in the aftermath of sexual assault. Contributors: Gwen Benaway Juliane Okot Bitek Elly Danica Amber Dawn Alicia Elliott Karyn Freedman Heather O'Neill Elisabeth de Mariaffi Lauren McKeon Soraya Palmer Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha Kai Cheng Thom

Professional sexual misconduct (PSM) is a problem that is notoriously difficult to address and that can be a minefield for all concerned - for victims, for the institutions where it takes place, and also because outstanding and supposedly responsible members of society may be accused of abuse. Here, Werner Tschan, one of the world's leading experts on the prevention of PSM, outlines an up-to-date approach to PSM and other professional disruptive behaviors. He describes practical ways to prevent PSM, as well as effective treatments for victims and those accused. Using examples from real-life cases from around the world, he also discusses how PSM is a societal problem and what we can do to stop it. Recent headline cases involving a variety of organizations - medical, media, church, schools, sport, industry - show that institutions can be ideal environments for PSM and so great emphasis is placed in this volume on preventive measures that we can and must take at an institutional level. With clear, jargon-free writing, this book is essential reading for all professionals interested in preventing and dealing with PSM, as well as of interest to victims and their families as well.

This book critically examines socio-political constructions of risk related to sexual offending behaviour by and among children and young people and charts the rise of harmful sexual or exploitative behaviour among peers, drawing on a range of theoretical frameworks and primary research. Discussion of these behaviours is exhibited against a backdrop of the premature cultural sexualisation of contemporary childhood, which challenges traditional conceptions of childhood, victimhood and gendered sexual identities more broadly. It examines the complexities of peer-based sexual behaviours in a range of settings, including within organisational contexts such as schools and care homes, within families and peer-based relationships, as well as online contexts including sexting and cyberbullying. It draws out the myriad legal, practical and policy challenges of negotiating the boundaries between normal/experimental, risky/problematic and harmful sexual behaviour, and in particular the demarcation between coercion and consent, both for professionals as well as children and young people themselves.

'Rough sex' has been at the forefront of criminal law in recent years following several high-profile murders of women killed during alleged consensual sex 'gone wrong', leading to widespread calls for reform to prevent the use of what has been termed the 'rough sex defence.' Situated in a global context in which violence against women is one of the leading preventable contributors to death and illness for women aged 18-44 worldwide, this timely collection examines the rough sex defence and responds to some of the wider debates around sex and the law. Drawing on a range of empirical and theoretical standpoints, chapters delve into a range of topics including the female experience of 'unwanted' slapping, choking and spitting during sex, the BDSM community, the impacts of pornography, the normalization and sexualization of violence against women, early depictions of BDSM involving the eroticization of non-consensual relations, problematic perceptions of BDSM as inherently violent, and more. Bows and Herring expertly collate a wide-reaching mix of perspectives to contribute to a powerful feminist investigation of this critical issue. It is a compelling read for scholars interested in the intersection of sex, the law, and the criminal justice system.

In October 1985, Gerry Healy was expelled from the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP) on charges of sexual abuse and violence. His defenders included leading Party members Vanessa and Corin Redgrave and sympathiser Ken Livingstone. Clare Cowen was one of five Party members who secretly laid plans to challenge Healy. Now, in a tell-all book, she sets the record straight. Cowen joined the Trotskyist Young Socialists and Socialist Labour League, later to become the WRP, as a student in Bristol in the heady days of the late 1960s. It was exhilarating; she felt in tune with major class struggles and believed her actions were making a difference. But by the early 1980s she began to question Healy's autocratic control of the Party's policies, members and finances. The 1984-85 miners' strike raised troubling questions among the members about Party policies. On 1st July 1985, Healy's secretary went into hiding, leaving a letter exposing his decades-long sexual abuse of Young Socialists and women Party members. The work of the five conspirators was beginning to bring about his downfall.

An explosive and news-making look at Donald Trump and his relationships with women, from his girlfriends to his multiple marriages, painting a portrait of a pathological liar, serial philanderer, and misogynist.

Based on groundbreaking original reporting, an extensive new look at Donald Trump's relationships with women, revealing new accusations of sexual misconduct, exploring the roots of his alleged predatory behaviour, and illustrating how Trump's presidency has helped catalyse the #MeToo movement and revitalise women's activism.

This is the first book to provide a multidisciplinary and global overview of evidence-based sexuality education (SE) programs and practices. Readers are introduced to the fundamentals of creating effective programs to prepare them to design new or implement existing programs that promote healthy sexual attitudes and relationships. Noted contributors from various disciplines critically evaluate evidence -based programs from around the globe and through the lifespan. Examples and discussion questions encourage application of the material. Guidance for those who wish to design, implement, and evaluate SE programs in various social contexts is provided. Each chapter follows a consistent structure so readers can easily compare programs: Learning Goals; Introduction; Conclusion; Key Points; Discussion Questions; and Additional Resources. The editor taught human sexuality and family life education courses for years. This book reviews the key information that his students needed to become competent professionals. Highlights of the book's coverage include: Interdisciplinary, comprehensive summary of evidence-based SE programs in one volume. Prepares readers for professional practice as a Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE) or sex educator by highlighting the fundamentals of developing and implementing SE programs. Exposes readers to evidence-based SE programs from various social contexts including families, schools, communities, and religious institutions. Considers the developmental context of SE across the lifespan along with programs for LGBT individuals and persons with disabilities. Critically reviews SE programs from around the world including the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and other developing countries. The book opens with an historical overview. Part I focus on general frameworks of sexuality education including UNESCO's International Technical Guidelines. How to develop, deliver, and implement evidence based SE programs, including ethical concerns, are explored in Part II. Part III exposes readers to evidence-based programs in various social contexts--families, schools, communities, and religious institutions. Part IV considers the developmental context of SE from early childhood through adolescence and adulthood along with programs for LGBT individuals and persons with disabilities. Part V examines diverse global contexts from the US, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and other developing countries. The book concludes with future trends and directions. Ideal for graduate or advanced undergraduate courses in sex education, sexual health, human sexuality, sex or marriage counseling, intimate relationships, family life education, or home, school, and community services taught in human development and family studies, psychology, social work, health education, nursing, education, and religion, and in seminaries and family clinics, the book also serves as a resource for practitioners, counselors, researchers, clergy members, and policy makers interested in evidence based SE programs, or those seeking to become CFLEs or sexuality educators.