This book was, at all times, compelling and terrifying. You hear the statistics, you see infographics, and you see chatter online all the time about women and rape cases. But this book brings it all home. T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong have made those women who are doubted, and the ones who are believed, REAL in their book, A False Report: A true story of rape in America.
The book follows, very closely, two lines of investigation into rape. The tale of a young girl who was raped in Washington state is so heartwrenching and terrifying. It’s easy to see why reporting statistics are so terrible. Who would want to go through that? Miller and Armstrong are able to report with a fairly neutral voice (though it feels like a bit of disdain for the Washington case handling leaks through) on all aspects of these cases.
Despite the fact that this book is about specific investigations, Miller and Armstrong delve into the general history of rape in America (and the UK). The terrifying fact that precedents and advice given by a judge nearly 300 years ago are still held up as relevant makes me despair for justice. The investigators in the Colorado case give me hope. The back and forth between the way a case should be handled and police work should be done (with cooperation and not competition) and the way it should not be done (with dismissal and disbelief) really creates a startling contrast.
I have nothing but praise for this book, its authors, and most importantly, the survivors and victims that came forward to the police and to the reporters. I hope that these cases and this book is one more GIANT step forward to seeing fair prosecution and representation of rape in the courts of America.
I highly recommend grabbing a copy. Click the image below to get yours!
Birdie's Bibliotheca 