Nonfiction Navigators discussion

When you think of a rapist, what comes to your mind? For so many, the image is a stranger with a mask on and some sort of weapon in hand. However, this picture of the anonymous attacker is a harmful misrepresentation of what rape really is. Over 70% of rape victims know their attacker. Instead of a masked figure with a knife, these victims see the neighbor they grew up with, star player of the football team, or quiet classmate. An overwhelming majority of acquaintance rape victims do not report their assaults and the few who do become demonized by a system that is supposed to protect them. In the wake of the Department of Justice investigating Missoula, Montana for their mishandling of sexual assault cases, Jon Krakauer’s novel, Missoula, delves into individual reports and reveals why rape is not only a major problem on college campuses, but also why victims are so hesitant to report their assaults.

In 2012, the Department of Justice’s infiltration of the college town of Missoula, Montana was followed by a fight between justice for the victims, power for law enforcement, and devotion to the famous Grizzlies football team. Krakauer recounts this struggle from the eyes of five female victims whose stories were silenced by the plague of campus rape. First, he lets the victims unapologetically tell their stories, including every heart-wrenching detail. In doing this, the victims separate themselves from the statistic and become humanized. Krakauer then explains both the collegiate and criminal prosecution that followed for each rapist. He shows the heartbreak as women are turned away from the Missoula County Attorney’s Office because of the office’s refusal to pursue their case. Court hearings are depicted in great detail as experts explain the complexity of non-stranger rape cases, almost unequivocaly defending the victims. He follows the cases until their resolution, hearing from the victims, their families, the perpetrators, and every person that they come into contact with. His recount is deliberate, showing every detail and flaw in the punishment of these rape cases, as the women are continually denied safety and basic respect.

As the book progressed and Krakauer’s research continued to expose countless failings of the Missoula police and the University of Montana, I found myself feeling helpless. The mistakes criticized in Missoula are far from exclusive to the University of Montana. As a young woman preparing to begin her journey to college, I found myself wondering if my safety is a priority to my future school or the government I have been told to trust. One in every six American women are victims or either completed or attempted rape. Victims are constantly added to this statistic while their stories become muddled by a society too afraid to confront their trauma. Reading Missoula and being able to hear the real stories of victims, through all of their fear, anger, and pain, was an incredibly eye-opening experience. I saw immense failures, but also boundless room for growth. Most of the women in Krakauer’s interviews would have been delivered justice had there been a system that protected, valued, and trusted them. However, no such system exists. Victims were called “attention seekers” by University of Montana football fans, received threats over the internet, and continually had to meet their assailant in public. Missoula serves a wake-up call to not only how improperly rape is treated as a criminal justice issue, but also how poorly victims are portrayed in the public eye. Women do not get raped for any reason other than someone raping them and Missoula was an essential read to remind me of that.

Missoula by Jon Krakauer serves as a call to action to reform a system built to protect perpetrators. The rapes in Missoula were never carried out by this common idea of a masked stranger. Instead, attackers were often the victim's friends or popular football stars. While its stories are devastating, this book is an important read for prospective college students, parents, school staff members, and every person willing to create a world that protects the most vulnerable. One in every six women in America is a victim of attemped or completed rape, which means we can create a more equitable world for a sixth of women, on and off of college campuses. I believe that Missoula is a beautiful book that perfectly balances fear from past failures with hope for future advancement.