Jon Krakauer’s investigative novel, Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town investigates the justice system in a football-obsessed college town, particularly focusing on how the police handled sexual assault reports. The events described by Krakauer should be shocking, but, unfortunately, they are common. Women victimized by University of Montana football players are subjected to years of harassment by UM Grizzlies’ fans and families. Alleged sexual assault cases not committed by football players are handled with little care. Missoula is not unique in this quality, college towns around the nation give sexual assault cases little or no attention, especially when the alleged perpetrator is an athlete.
Krakauer does a fantastic job of portraying the cases presented in his novel. Every quote is verbatim from an interview or court. Some complain that the book lacks impartiality with Krakauer’s commentary. However, his bias enhances the book’s bearability, and the topic of rape cannot lend itself to impartiality, even for an investigative journalist. Moreover, Krakauer immediately shuts down the idea of neutrality from the start. His commentary frequently connects with the emotional experience of the reader. Had he chosen to hold back his insights and feelings, the book would have been challenging to finish given its heartwrenching subject matter. Though Krakauer handles the subject and its victims with care and sensitivity, there are trigger warnings that readers should be aware of. The sexual assaults are described in great detail and the victim’s distress is palpable. Court records show the reality of what sexual assault victims face; the defamation of character, accusations, and manipulation are enough to turn anyone’s stomach. Defense attorneys slander their client’s accusers and attempt to turn them into the villain by any means possible. While the defense has free reign when speaking about the accuser, the prosecution is held to certain rules when discussing the defendant. It is seen in many of the court records that defense attorneys flagrantly bully their client’s accuser with little repercussions.
Furthermore, Krakauer’s Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town is a heartbreaking, but extremely well-done read. It forces the reader to confront their thoughts on rape and our automatic inclination to hold celebrities on a pedestal despite their rape accusations. When reading Missoula I realized how often we doubt victims when the accused is a celebrity, including myself. It made me think of the Danny Masterson case; I remembered thinking there was no way the rape accusations were true. Masterson played one of my favorite characters in That 70s Show and it was hard to separate a character from the reality of Masterson’s crimes. Most will immediately seek to place blame on anyone but a person they idolize. Reading Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town has taught me to reflect on my ignorance and put more faith in victims: we have to learn to separate the people we see on TV from their true selves.
Overall, it is important to educate yourself and others about rape, especially acquaintance rape. Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town is a great book that is incredibly well done and focuses on a topic that everyone should have a comprehensive understanding of.
