Kate Harding

In Asking for It, Harding argues--I think quite successfully--that we live in a culture which, while professing to abhor rape, actually does precious little to prevent, investigate, prosecute, and punish rape. What's worse, we live in a culture which does more to encourage and protect rapists than rape victims (thus the term "rape culture").

This book is very thoroughly researched--the amount of data and scholarly research cited is truly eye-opening--and provides ample evidence to support its central claim: that our culture does not take rape as seriously as it purports to, and that we need to do better. This point is relentlessly driven home as Harding covers media, cultural myths, the criminal justice system, politicians, and much more.

Though it's well worth reading simply for Harding's detailed handling of the topic, the book ups the ante: after making the claim that we need to do better, Harding then provides concrete suggestions as to how we can do better. She does not simply identify a pervasive, ugly problem (though goodness knows that's important enough); she outlines ways in which we, as a society, can better address that problem. And that, to me, is one of the most valuable things about the book.

Harding's incisive critique paired with her forward-looking approach makes Asking for It a must-read.

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