A Survivor's Journey: From Victim to Advocate

by Natasha Simone Alexenko

An inspiring true story of love, hope, and victory―and of one woman who was determined to make a difference in the wake of a crime. On August 6, 1993, twenty-year-old Natasha Alexenko was assaulted at gunpoint. After nearly a decade, her backlogged rape kit was finally tested and her rapist, who roamed free for ten years, was brought to justice. On the day he was sentenced, Alexenko vowed that she would no longer be a statistic and would do whatever she could to help police on behalf of other rape victims. In 2011, she founded Natasha’s Justice Project (NJP), a nonprofit committed to ending the rape-kit backlog. This unflinching memoir chronicles her journey from trauma to triumph. Despite personal setbacks and bureaucratic obstacles, Alexenko refuses to give up on her determination to raise awareness of a problem even worse than she imagined, as tens of thousands of untested rape kits languish in crime storage facilities across the country. Written for fellow survivors, their families, law enforcement, and anyone impacted by rape, her deeply personal story is a testament to the power of one person to make a profound change.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, True Crime, Feminism

154 pages, Paperback

Published April 3, 2018

About the author

Natasha Simone Alexenko was an American-Canadian crime victim advocate and nonprofit founder who worked to address the backlog of untested rape kits in the United States. She was the founder of Natasha's Justice Project and contributed to legislative reforms related to forensic evidence processing. Alexenko was previously the director of the Long Island Maritime Museum.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Author Natasha Simone Alexenko is certainly a courageous woman as she puts to paper her traumatic sexual assault and the journey of coping with PTSD and handling the politics of the justice system as an advocate.

This book is not for the faint of heart and I suspect in the coming days, weeks, and months Natasha's story and those of other survivors will linger in my memory. This book is also a rallying cry for more people to join the movement towards having sexual assault victims better supported in our communities, in our courts, and in our countries.

[Samantha Luce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring. To go through this sort of traumatic event and survive is quite an accomplishment. To not only survive, but fight, advocate, and win legislative changes is nothing short of amazing.

Natasha Simone Alexenko is brave, persistent, and a woman to look up to. She is the founder and CEO of Natasha's Justice Project (NJP), a national nonprofit organization created to expose and eliminate the nationwide rape-kit backlog and to bring justice to survivors of sexual assault.

There are tens of thousands unprocessed rape kits collecting dust in evidence labs. Lack of funds, workers, and other issues continue to make the backlog grow rather than dwindle. The NJP is dedicated to helping all rape survivors get justice. This is the story of one woman's courageous fight that is really making a difference.

An excellent, eye opening read.

Netgalley ARC received for an unbiased review.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a memoir written by an honest and courageous woman. Natasha Alexenko writes her story from the night she was attacked, through the years, and the advocacy work she does today with Natasha's Justice Project. She is honest about her life and what happened to her. I appreciated her trigger warning before she described her rape and that night. Sharing her story is part of her healing process and I thought that she did a wonderful job through out the book acknowledging that everyone processes differently. I was shocked as I read this memoir at the statistics regarding the amount of untested rape kits across the country. I naively assumed that they were being processed in a timely manner not sitting in storage for YEARS. Natasha Alexenko is working hard to change laws and advocate for women and men who deserve justice. Hopefully this book will continue to raise awareness about this issue

[Ana-Maria Bujor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This can be a very tough book to go through due to the nature of the events described, but it never gets hopeless of depressing. I like the way the author portrays her journey from one dreadful night to being able to advise those creating legislation. It's all written with honesty and sensitivity, not claiming to have the final answer. This is how one person chose to deal with her pain.
Besides the life story herself, there is the infuriating story of the thousands of rape kits that went untested for more than 10 years, some even being destroyed to make room. That meant thousands of victims getting no justice and thousands of dangerous attackers free on the streets. Luckily this is being slowly tackled. Not the same can be said about overall attitude towards victims - if you don't cry enough, cry too much, if you drink, all of these can suddenly make you less of a victim. I was shocked that the defense lawyer found ti fitting to ask Natasha whether she was a virgin when the attack occurred. This is an important book to understand a systemic problem, as well as the effects of one crime.

[Jen Juenke · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I sat down and read this moving memoir in one sitting. IT was an easy enough read, the subject was tough. I felt so bad for her. Its always amazing how one moment, one incident can derail your life, your plans, your dreams. I thought that the author dealt with all of the circumstances of her rape in her own way and in her own time. I loved that she was determined to keep going and trying new things., having boyfriends, trying out love.
The only thing I wish, was that I knew more from her mom. How her mom dealt with everything. Otherwise a remarkable story of survival.

[Pretty Peony Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad the outcome for this author was a positive one. It's great that she became an advocate for others.

[Liz Sergent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first saw this authors story and "Megyn Kelly Today" What an inspirational woman! Then I got the book and was more intrigued about this woman's journey and what made her so strong and to have the outlook and wherewithal that most don't. This was an excellent read. Highly recommend.

"On August 6, 1993, twenty-year-old Natasha Alexenko was assaulted at gunpoint. After nearly a decade, her backlogged rape kit was finally tested and her rapist, who roamed free for ten years, was brought to justice. On the day he was sentenced, Alexenko vowed that she would no longer be a statistic and would do whatever she could to help police on behalf of other rape victims."

[Shari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! Thank you to Natasha for sharing your story. Thank you for your work in getting rape kits processed. So unbelievable to think about so many that just sit on shelves, get lost or in some cases get destroyed. And the people that those kits represent.

Natasha shares the story of her assault, the PTSD as a result and her work of getting rape kits processed. She has made an impact and will hopefully continue her work in this field.



I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is ok. It is inspiring that this woman has taken her bad experience and has shared it for others to read. I am appalled that her evidence sat for so long without it being touched. I had no clue that this happens. I love that she is being an advocate now to stop this from happening in the future. The book itself just kind of abruptly ended. There are some good statistics in this book for anyone interested.

[Kandi Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring book from a fellow survivor. Thank you to the publisher for sending this to me for my honest review.


I thought this book was great. It is inspiring to see this survivor of sexual assault overcome, gives me hope.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are in a mess, but fortunately for Natasha and others, progress is being made to right this injustice. May I help bring awareness to this issue and fight alongside these victims...and not let it slip from my mind as something else competes for my attention.

[Jane Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rape Kit. Story

This a very interesting and useful book. I dam stlll amazed that rape kits are ibgnored and backlogged. This book makes you wish that you hadoney so you could give it to her cause.

[Roni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this book at the end of March, however, I wanted to take at least a few days to review.

This book definitely brings to light how many rape kits are untested in the US, thus not giving survivors their chance at some sort of closure or answers to what happened to them as well as predators not being caught, so they can go on committing more crimes.

This book is amazing. Natasha's story is very compelling. As a Rape Crisis Counsellor, I agree that people may experience the same type of trauma, but each experience is different. Each survivor has their own feelings and reactions to trauma, making each experience and individual experience, however, everyone wants to say that all reactions to trauma should be basically the same.

I also learned something about myself from this book. I experienced trauma at a young age and have always had to have various things going on to concentrate. I call it multitasking, but now I can see how it is a coping mechanism I developed and is now ingrained.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read

[Trudy Johns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, lots of tips.

[Rachel Reedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good

This was a great read on rape kits and their backlog. Her story was inspiring! Glad I read this book.

[Chnika Clark]

I loved it. I felt every word. To see her outcome, becoming an advocate and starting her own non profit was amazing. Thank you

[Hannah Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, brave tale about a woman's survival through an extremely tough situation, and what made her goal in life to become an advocate for others of sexual assault. An amazing, quick read.

[Geraldine Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after viewing "I am Evidence" and on behalf of all women everywhere, I thank you for your advocacy, for sharing your journey and changing our world.

[Joe J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natasha was a victim of sexually assault. She said it in the first few pages in such an honest manner. It wasn't meant to shock the reader, but more for her to take back control of her own life and story instead of letting the man that sexually assaulted her control the story that she told for the rest of her life. Natasha does a great job of telling her life story and how she has fought for victim's rights and started to make sure the national backlog of sexual assault kits are tested around the country with her life from that point forward. I definitely recommend this one. She found a way to turn what is and always will be the worst day of her life into a day where she started to help make a positive change in the lives of so many others.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book from Goodreads Giveaways. Thank you. Incredibly poignant and inspirational.

[Lauren]

Very excited about this book. Heard good things about it and will read it soon