One of the first books I read in my YA Literature class was Speak. It is, perhaps, the best known of Laurie Halse Anderson’s books. Sadly, that is likely because it has touched the hearts and lives of so many rape victims, many of whom have reached out to let her know that they found solace in reading her book and knowing they were not alone. Though *I’ve* never been raped, I know girls and women who lived this horrible nightmare. And one of the worst parts of their experience, in my opinion, was that most of them were afraid or ashamed to speak up and speak out about what happened to them. Because, far too often, rape victims are blamed and shamed for what was done to them — saying they had not dressed “modestly” enough, or that it was their fault for getting drunk, etc, etc, etc. After all… It’s much easier to blame the victims than to admit that this could happen to any of us at any given time, right?!?
Well, this book is an answer to the victim-blaming and the other aspects of rape culture that perpetuate the problem. It is a reminder that we have to teach our children about consent — spoken, enthusiastic consent — and how necessary it is to seek and continue to reaffirm consent before any and all sexual activities. It is a reminder that staying silent helps no one but the rapists. And it is a call for all victims to not only speak but to SHOUT about what has happened to them.
I really appreciated how Laurie opened up about her own rape, why she stayed silent for so long, and how so much of her life (particularly her adolescence) was impacted by her rape. I think Shout will not only help a lot of victims to see how she found the strength to get past her trauma but also help *everyone* who reads the book to take a deeper look at what we can and must do, as a society, to end rape culture.
Happy Reading!
Librarina 