by Jon Krakauer
First published 2015
Jon Krakauer examines sexual assault cases at the University of Montana between 2008 and 2012. The Department of Justice investigated 350 reported assaults in this college town, home to the popular Grizzlies football team. Krakauer documents how local authorities and the university mishandled most cases. He follows several women through their ordeals, from the nights they were attacked through their encounters with police, prosecutors, and defense attorneys. Some victims pressed criminal charges while others sought justice through university proceedings. The community often attacked women who spoke publicly about their experiences. One district attorney even testified for an accused rapist before leaving her job to defend the team's star quarterback in his rape trial. Krakauer shows how the justice system's failures compound the trauma of sexual assault, creating additional suffering for victims who already face PTSD rates higher than combat veterans.
Genres: crime, social-issues, non-fiction, true-crime, academia, american-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: true-story
Setting: Missoula, Montana, University of Montana
Period: 2008-2012
368 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday
Content warnings: rape, sexual-assault