The Hunting Ground: The Inside Story of Sexual Assault on American College Campuses

by Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering, Lena Dunham (Foreword)

The debate over sexual violence on campus is reaching fever pitch, from headlines about out–of-control fraternities, to the ”mattress protests” by female students at Columbia University and other colleges.

The Hunting Ground, the new documentary by award-winning filmmakers Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, has taken this debate to a new level, becoming a galvanizing catalyst for discussion at the hundreds of campuses where the documentary is being screened each month. The film has sparked calls for legislation by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York and other prominent public figures and sparked a backlash from university administrators, fraternities, and conservative groups.

Now, in a new companion volume to the film, all those concerned about the “rape culture” on campus will be offered an inside perspective on the controversy, as well as reactions to the film from a range of leading writers and guidance on how to learn more and get active. As in the film, it’s the gripping personal stories told by female students—and the obstinate refusal of college administrators and law enforcement authorities to recognize the severity of the problem—that will rivet readers.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Feminism, Audiobook, Journalism, Adult, Womens

189 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2015

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should note that I have yet to see the film that this book came out of. The first half of the book, the section that ties most closely to the film, is the best. The second half of the book contains essays from various writers, well chosen for the most part. The problem is that because of space, many of the essays are short and therefore lack depth. If you have read other books about rape such as Rape is Rape: How Denial, Distortion, and Victim Blaming are Fueling a Hidden Acquaintance Rape Crisis, the second half of the book really doesn't add anything to the conversation.

That said. I finished this book right around the time when a major college rape case had reached it's sentencing part. Consider the following impact statement and then read this book. Impact statement.

[Jennifer Millspaugh Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost as powerful as the film. I thought the last two essays and the thoughts from the filmmakers were the most insightful. I'm so glad they took on this challenge and that it's bringing the much needed attention to this issue. If you are going to read this, note that it's a supplement to the film, and you should probably watch the film first. And watch it with a friend.

[Nicole Palumbo Davies · Rating 2 out of 5]

The movie was excellent - the book seemed thrown together and unnecessary.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is not nearly as cohesive as the film.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even more heartbreaking information from the filmmakers behind "The Hunting Ground" documentary film. This book has a strong impact but is definitely better after watching the documentary. The book includes several essays from survivors, researchers, facility members, etc.
This book also provides a lengthy sources section that backs up the film and the books research. The statistics that 1 in 5 (and some research suggests the numbers stand at 1 in 4) women will be sexually assaulted during their college years is horrifying and down right shameful on the part of colleges / their administrators/facility, and law enforcement.
I was glad that the filmmakers discussed why their first documentary "The Invisible War" (a film about sexual assault in the military) was received by viewers and in turn the government that over sees the military versus this film about assault on campuses. One quote stood out "... the reason is that it's an issue of class. It's acceptable to speak about soldiers or priests committing rape, but when one begins charging that many entitled middle-class and upper-class white men attending elite institutions are rapists, society circles the wagons and insists that it cannot be true, that these women are lying."
Like the film, the book takes a two sided approach. That these assaults, these crimes are more prevalent in fraternities and in sports. The book breaks down the arguments for why this is the case. Like the film, the more the book analyzes this situations it's more disgustingly understandable. These men are in a very insulated environment that feeds on itself and their behaviors are overlooked, protected, ignored, etc. because these two sectors are incredible money makers for the schools. The book and as well as the film so what lengths these universities will go to cover up or attack the victims of these assaults.
"The Hunting Ground" documentary should be required viewing for all students, both female and male and their parents who are starting the selection process for of schools. Look up the students choices of university and see what their track record is when it comes to protecting their students from these crimes, how they treat victims, how they treat perpetrators, how they treat their facility who are standing up for/against the victims and perpetrators. This is a disturbing situation that again affects 1 in 5 or 1 in 4 women (many men as well) who show up the these places to get an education. We need to be horrified, we need to be angered, we need to stand up and take action to prevent this from happening and support those who it has happened too.

[Underground Writers]

A review by Shelley Carter for Underground Writers

It’s not often that a film leaves me seething.

The Hunting Ground, Kirby Dick’s 2015 documentary about college sexual assault, did just that.

I discovered this documentary while watching the 2016 Oscars, when Lady Gaga performed ‘Till It Happens to You’, which is the main song on The Hunting Ground soundtrack. It was also nominated for Best Song.

The film follows two college students, Andrea Pino and Annie E. Clarke, and their endeavour to raise awareness about the prevalence of rape on college campuses in the US. Both girls were raped during their freshman year at college, as will an estimated 100 000 students per year. (According to the documentary.)

They show a strength of character and determination that is truly commendable. They came forward with their stories of rape, and then took their university to court over the way they handled their cases.

Interviews with a myriad of college students, both male and female, outline a culture of victim blaming and denial within American universities. According to the documentary, 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted while in college.

I believe The Hunting Ground achieved what it set out to do; anger people to the point where the trustworthiness of organisations such as universities are questioned, and raise awareness about just how common rape culture is in colleges.

Not often does a film shock me to the point where it will stay with me forever. Emotional, candid interviews with rape victims, as well as university staff that reveal their regrets for perpetuating rape culture add to the effectiveness of this film. Dick’s ability to present the facts, and add a face to those statistics, was what made the film so emotionally charged for me.

The use of detailed accounts of personal stories allow the viewer to connect to the victims, and Dick has definitely created a documentary that will get people talking.

Furthermore, I believe it will encourage other victims to come forward, which is something that Pino and Clarke discovered when they told their stories.

I loved this film, and I could go on and on as to why it was a truly amazing documentary.

I look forward to seeing what Kirby Dick creates in the future.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing expose about rape culture on college campuses. Very well researched and articulated. It's unbelievable the reaction these rape victims received and all that they had to endure while they simply wanted to finish their college education. Amongst all the cover-ups, rationalizing and denial, these strong victims pursued their rights and made their stories heard. The toll it took on the victims and their families was heartbreaking. A must read!
I plan to see the actual documentary as well.

[Sierra Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it, but I listened to it as an audiobook and I'm not sure that is the best format for it. Basically, this was a documentary and then they wrote a book based on the documentary, so it kind of feels like you're reading a film. That said, it is packed with interesting facts and stories and I am forever changed by this book.

[Angela Hattery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though I have seen the documentary numerous times and show it in my classes, but I still found the book to be super valuable and important in thinking about gender-based violence in sports. The authors take a feminist approach, include feminist voices, and provide interesting backstory on some of the cases they utilize in the documentary. Highly highly recommend!

[Candy McMinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was incredibly interesting! I didn't realize sexual assault on college campuses were so prevalent. This book explores sexual assault on several college campuses and explains how to go through the necessary steps if you, yourself, happen to be sexually assaulted. The most interesting case (in my opinion) was the one that took place at Florida State University. The trauma associated with this poor girls' sexual assault (rape) literally ruined her entire life while her attacker went free. The local police department there were huge fans of the football player who raped her and knew they needed him to win the championship that year. Because of this, her rape investigation was completely botched and her attacker was free to be drafted into the NFL (which he did). I liked how this book took incidences (such as these) and put them out there so the general public could see that rape IS A CRIME and should be prosecuted as such. It also goes beyond the stories of these poor girls and explains that females NEVER ask to be raped, regardless of where they are or what they are wearing. There is too much victim blaming that goes along with sexual assault cases and I am hoping that books like "The Hunting Ground" bring necessary change to the system that has failed so many people and is continuing to do so.

[Reid Mccormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a companion piece to the film The Hunting Ground. There is not a lot of new information in this book. I did not feel like it really added to the conversation. There are some follow up stories by the filmmakers, some behind the scenes information, and some follow-up essays responding to the content of the movie.

As of this review, seven years have gone by. A lot of things have changed in that time. Which is great. However, there is still a lot that needs to be done. We are all grateful for the work of these filmmakers, they started a conversation and changed things.

I don’t want to call this book “dated,” but I think there are some other books out there now that will give a reader a better understanding of modern college campuses.

[Pippa Bird · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a SA victim/survivor, this read was quite triggering. The first 2 chapters brought me to tears - tears that had been pent up for years. I couldn't finish this book...and I'm struggling to continue with my reading goal. I just cannot concentrate on anything. Revisiting trauma threw me, and I landed in territory that I haven't stepped foot in 13 years 😪

[Kelly Stewart-Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a minute since I’ve watched the documentary, but this book went so much more in depth about specific cases and the way that universities and the justice system have failed sa victims. Very very enlightening but also very angering. An important read for people to educate themselves on the topic

[Lindsee Harrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Would recommend to others.

[Rueben · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Kim Lenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good for Prose/POI/Inform

[oh-deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good companion piece to the film of the same name. I recommend watching that first, as this book works more as a bit of background to that film.

Rage-inducing, informative and emotional, this book will make you want to cry and scream at the same time, while also admiring the bravery and strength of the men and women survivors.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was glad to see and have an opportunity to read this companion piece to the film. I believe that it is vitally important for the media to cover this issue and bring attention to the general public. Unfortunately, the issues related to sexual assault on college campuses, including prevention and response, are much more nuanced than the authors and filmmakers suggest. I thought Krakauer did a better job unpacking the issue more fully in his recent book. The challenge for me as someone who works first-hand with these incidents on a college campus is to determine whether I think the film and book, despite their faults, are ultimately a positive contribution to the conversation. Simply because they bring so much attention to the issue, I think I side with "yes." When it comes to these types of issues, unfortunately I don't think it is possible for the media to present a clear picture of the environment that the general public can digest and feel good about. For one thing, there is absolutely nothing to feel good about in these situations. As Scott Lewis often says, we are in the business of "mitigating unhappiness." We are doing the best we can in a bad situation. There are societal issues much larger than the sphere of influence of any individual college or university that are at play here and we are doing our best to educate teenagers about how to stop the issue and to help to heal those who have experienced these events.

In summary, I appreciated this expansion on and behind-the-scenes look at the film and applaud any effort to raise awareness about this issue. For those who have read this or seen the film, I share simply that there is more to this story. That most college faculty and staff care deeply about students and do everything in their power to keep terrible things like sexual assault from happening and respond as best they can when these things do happen. The cases presented here seem very clear cut and maybe they are. On the flip side, I've been involved in numerous cases that could have been perceived from the outside in a very negative light when I know that the people involved did everything they could to mitigate the unhappiness and continued to do so long after they were being criticized by one or both sides. The work is hard but believe me - we are trying to get it right.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book concentrated heavily on fraternities and athletics, but I felt it blanketed all athletes or frat brothers as attackers. However, the contributing essays by faculty members who have stood up for changes in sexual assault policies was heartening, as often universities are deaf to complaints and protect attackers over survivors. The stories of those who became advocates was inspiring. They have refused to become a statistic of "one in five" and instead proclaim themselves as individuals who were part of a campus community that often let them down. This is a problem that isn't going away until we have a national discussion on the fact that college campuses are "hunting grounds" instead of safe environments for learning and socializing.

[Armand · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. The best term to describe this book is "eye-opener". I knew about the sexual assault that went on in colleges, but not to this extent. What goes on in these places is absolutely disgusting. Every person involved in protecting these perpetrators should be ashamed of themselves and immediately removed from their positions. The statistics presented in this book are nothing less than shocking. I gave it a 3 out of 5 simply because I expected more out of it. More stories, and more as far as what's being done to put a stop to these nightmarish acts.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through the Goodreads Giveaway.

[Alan Hinton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Supposed to accompany the documentary by the same name that has been getting a lot of attention nationwide.