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Cry Rape: The True Story of One Woman's Harrowing Quest for Justice
Cry Rape dramatically exposes the criminal justice system’s capacity for error as it recounts one woman’s courageous battle in the face of adversity. In September 1997, a visually impaired woman named Patty was raped by an intruder in her home in Madison, Wisconsin. The rookie detective assigned to her case came to doubt Patty’s account and focused the investigation on her. Under pressure, he got her to recant, then had her charged with falsely reporting a crime. The charges were eventually dropped, but Patty continued to demand justice, filing complaints and a federal lawsuit against the police. All were rebuffed. But later, as the result of her perseverance, a startling discovery was made. Even then, Patty’s ordeal was far from over.
Other books have dealt with how police and prosecutors bend and break the law in their zeal to prevail. This one focuses instead on how the gravest injustice can be committed with the best of intentions, and how one woman’s bravery and persistence finally triumphed.
Courage Award Winner, Wisconsin Coalition against Sexual Assault
Other books have dealt with how police and prosecutors bend and break the law in their zeal to prevail. This one focuses instead on how the gravest injustice can be committed with the best of intentions, and how one woman’s bravery and persistence finally triumphed.
Courage Award Winner, Wisconsin Coalition against Sexual Assault
286 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2006
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113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 6, 2015
I came away from this book troubled deeply in mind and soul. It speaks to so, so many issues that a lot of us would rather leave alone.
This is the horrific story of a visually impaired woman who is raped by a knife-wielding intruder and essentially raped again by law-enforcement authorities who carelessly opened her life to all kinds of public scrutiny as they sought to discredit her claims. Their efforts at discrediting the woman were methodical and stunning in their ruthlessness and what appeared to me to be careless reckless disregard for the truth. This is also a classic case of those in authority seeking to take out their vengeance on a reporter who simply sought to tell a story that desperately needed to be told.
This book tacitly raises questions about blindness and credibility in the eyes of sighted law enforcement and medical people. It almost seemed as though some of them couldn’t get their heads around the idea that a visually impaired person would be able to credibly contribute to a discussion about events that happened to her. The woman clearly had no credibility with many of them, and when she questioned their credibility, they lashed out in ways that were stunning indeed.
To his credit, the author looks unflinchingly at both sides of this. He isn’t afraid to write about ways in which the woman may have exercised errors in judgment, not during the rape so much as in later events. But throughout, he is sympathetic, clearly explaining how someone in her position might arrive at the same judgment calls she made.
Additionally, the author covers the rape without going into gratuitous detail in an attempt to needlessly titillate. He gives you the information you need without inappropriately overloading you, but nor does he minimize the event by shrugging it off her implicitly questioning whether it was as bad as the visually impaired woman claimed.
At one point, in desperation, the woman appears to back down in an attempt to end an abrasive interview with a detective who questioned the veracity of her story almost immediately. The author attributes the woman’s backing down as a byproduct of a dysfunctional family background. I suspect the vision loss thing came into play here, too, but he doesn’t seem to explore that as one of the reasons for her willingness to at least temporarily walk back her story.
I got the strongest impression from this author that no amount of clear concise communication would have tilted the investigating detective’s perspective from one of incredulity to one of belief. That said, he doesn’t write this as if it were some shrill crusade to gallantly help the poor blind woman. Instead, he outlines the case and the steps taken to get justice in the case. He gives credit to those who changed their positions on the case and ultimately came around to the woman’s perspective. But through it all, you are left shaking your head in wonder at the seemingly impenetrable ignorance that prevented the investigation and ultimate conviction of a rapist to occur relatively quickly. Rather, this became a protracted battle in which a woman sought to reclaim her life and reputation while medical and law-enforcement officials in a seemingly enlightened major American city in the Midwest did everything they could to minimize her efforts at justice. The author aptly points out that of the words “criminal justice system,” the word that deserves the most emphasis is “system.” There are issues the book simply can’t answer—issues that are beyond its scope—about blindness and power and the issue of whether a blind woman is more likely to be raped than her sighted counterpart because of the blindness itself. It seemed, based on what I read here, that even some women turned against this particular victim, warning her that falsifying a rape charge would make things just that much harder for the next person who brought similar charges.
I don’t do true crime books often; I enjoy them, but usually in small doses and with plenty of time between them. This book more than filled my quota for a while. But it left me with much to think about and much over which to be troubled.
This is the horrific story of a visually impaired woman who is raped by a knife-wielding intruder and essentially raped again by law-enforcement authorities who carelessly opened her life to all kinds of public scrutiny as they sought to discredit her claims. Their efforts at discrediting the woman were methodical and stunning in their ruthlessness and what appeared to me to be careless reckless disregard for the truth. This is also a classic case of those in authority seeking to take out their vengeance on a reporter who simply sought to tell a story that desperately needed to be told.
This book tacitly raises questions about blindness and credibility in the eyes of sighted law enforcement and medical people. It almost seemed as though some of them couldn’t get their heads around the idea that a visually impaired person would be able to credibly contribute to a discussion about events that happened to her. The woman clearly had no credibility with many of them, and when she questioned their credibility, they lashed out in ways that were stunning indeed.
To his credit, the author looks unflinchingly at both sides of this. He isn’t afraid to write about ways in which the woman may have exercised errors in judgment, not during the rape so much as in later events. But throughout, he is sympathetic, clearly explaining how someone in her position might arrive at the same judgment calls she made.
Additionally, the author covers the rape without going into gratuitous detail in an attempt to needlessly titillate. He gives you the information you need without inappropriately overloading you, but nor does he minimize the event by shrugging it off her implicitly questioning whether it was as bad as the visually impaired woman claimed.
At one point, in desperation, the woman appears to back down in an attempt to end an abrasive interview with a detective who questioned the veracity of her story almost immediately. The author attributes the woman’s backing down as a byproduct of a dysfunctional family background. I suspect the vision loss thing came into play here, too, but he doesn’t seem to explore that as one of the reasons for her willingness to at least temporarily walk back her story.
I got the strongest impression from this author that no amount of clear concise communication would have tilted the investigating detective’s perspective from one of incredulity to one of belief. That said, he doesn’t write this as if it were some shrill crusade to gallantly help the poor blind woman. Instead, he outlines the case and the steps taken to get justice in the case. He gives credit to those who changed their positions on the case and ultimately came around to the woman’s perspective. But through it all, you are left shaking your head in wonder at the seemingly impenetrable ignorance that prevented the investigation and ultimate conviction of a rapist to occur relatively quickly. Rather, this became a protracted battle in which a woman sought to reclaim her life and reputation while medical and law-enforcement officials in a seemingly enlightened major American city in the Midwest did everything they could to minimize her efforts at justice. The author aptly points out that of the words “criminal justice system,” the word that deserves the most emphasis is “system.” There are issues the book simply can’t answer—issues that are beyond its scope—about blindness and power and the issue of whether a blind woman is more likely to be raped than her sighted counterpart because of the blindness itself. It seemed, based on what I read here, that even some women turned against this particular victim, warning her that falsifying a rape charge would make things just that much harder for the next person who brought similar charges.
I don’t do true crime books often; I enjoy them, but usually in small doses and with plenty of time between them. This book more than filled my quota for a while. But it left me with much to think about and much over which to be troubled.
April 8, 2009
Okay, so Bill Leuders is a bit biased in his reporting, with a major, arrogant, beef against the local Madison police, fire and justice system. But he's smart enough to admit it right at the beginning of his book. The writing and reporting is not the best I've ever read but the story is absolutely compelling and believable.
I live in the community where this harrowing real-life story took place. Madison is often characterized as a utopian community (as pointed out by Leuders) and it was interesting and eye opening to read an alternative account.
I live in the community where this harrowing real-life story took place. Madison is often characterized as a utopian community (as pointed out by Leuders) and it was interesting and eye opening to read an alternative account.
February 3, 2008
Unfortunately, a disabled woman who is sexually assaulted is not a new story. It's also not news that sexual assault victims are often victimized by the same system that is supposed to help them. In Cry Rape, Bill Lueders shows how the following factors created a "perfect storm", making a living Hell for one rape victim: a blind woman bearing the scars of childhood abuse, an inexperienced police investigator, poor supervision, bad policies, biases towards the mentally ill, lack of understanding of sexual assault, "nearsighted" judges, and a police department that will go to any lengths (or lows)to be right. BTW, this tragedy occurred in modern-day Madison, WI, a city blindsided by its own hubris and its delusions of being a quasi-utopia. The book, which was based on a series of articles Lueders wrote for The Isthmus (a local paper) represents investigative journalism at its finest. Most impressive is the courage of Patty, the victim, who withstood unconscionable mistreatment by the "justice" system for six years, in the process losing her credibility, her business, and a lot of money, but not her determination to bring her attacker to justice.
March 22, 2023
Exceptional book about our criminal justice system, but most importantly issues of rape and how they are handled by this system. Patty was a legally blind woman who lived with her teenage daughter. At the age of 38 a man broke into her home and raped her. You might think this would be the worst thing that could happen to Patty, but dialing 911 and reporting the rape turned out to be much worse. This book takes you into the years long battle that she endured, and the brutal way she was treated by the very people who should have been there to protect her. I could not stop reading and weeping as I read how poorly she was treated and how alone she must have felt. Anyone else would have given up, but Patty fought them all and I believe she must be one of the strongest people I have read about in a very long time.
April 10, 2025
OMG! WTF! The gall of a police force to treat a victim as if she were the offender! This book made my skin crawl with disgust for Madison Wisconsin! I spent many hours pondering the effects. This had to have on this poor woman! My mind just could not wrap around it! I am so glad in the end there were at least a few that stepped up to the plate and apologized for their malfeasnce and misconduct. Excellent writing by the author! Truly wonderful to see in the end that she got justice. I cannot believe what they did to her, all that she lost, all that she will never get back. I don’t know you Patty, but I certainly cry for you!
July 31, 2008
What I learned? Unfortunately, that I am not alone in my experience with the criminal justice system. (Ever hear of a "victim justice system"?) I met Patty at my sister's funeral (who had a similar story to tell). She did not look like a hero is supposed to look. She was unassuming and did not seem to get why I was thanking her for her courage. Readers will be disappointed in Madison, Wisconsin - but this kind of crap happens everywhere. We were just smug enough to think we were above this. Bill Lueders wrote an excellent series of articles about the Patty case in the Isthmus paper, in real time, and this book is a needed re-telling of this incredible story. Thank you again, Patty, for your courage.
July 17, 2013
Patty, a vision impaired woman, was raped by an intruder in her Madison apartment in 1997. When she was interviewed by police, she was frightened, confused, and intimidated. After repeated questioning, she decided that the agony of the investigation was not worth pursuing. She dropped the charges. She was then prosecuted for filing a false report. Lueders, a journalist for the weekly Madison newspaper, The Isthmus, followed Patty through her ordeal. It is a painful and incredible story, and an example that justice is not always readily available to those who are violated.
July 13, 2008
Bill weaves a tapestry of events in one blind woman's search for justice after being raped. Several big players of Madison's criminal justice system are lauded and exposed as the woman, Patty, is charged with fabricating the rape, and lying to police. Enduring painful deception and probing by the police, Patty's story illustrates the weaknesses in finding justice for crimes and how innocent people become collateral damage.
April 8, 2011
this book made me so incredibly angry and i hope none of the police officers and DA staff involved in trying to destroy a rape victim are still working in madison, though i am pretty sure some are. i am in awe of patty's strength during everything she went through--i really don't know that i could do what she did.
November 16, 2016
This book is an inspiration to me. As a survivor of rape and not having anyone believe me is a terrible thing to go through. It is worse than the rape itself. Patty shown courage and strength to speak out, which I don't. She is an amazing role model and I am glad justice served in her favor eventually
January 7, 2010
amazing insight into a tragic miscarriage of justice that was finally corrected years later. "Patty's" bravery still impresses me, and I'm so grateful to her and to Bill for bringing this situation into public awareness.
September 28, 2013
This book made me so angry at the treatment of rape survivors! I hope those officers and everyone else who treated her so horrible has been replaced! Patty is a very strong woman.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews