Julie S. Lalonde

This is a very raw and personal account of Lalonde's experience with a stalker, an ex-boyfriend that she had dated for 2 years, followed by 10 years of stalking. Lalonde pulls no punches: she describes her strengths and weaknesses, her coping (in both positive and negative ways) and how her trauma informed her actions in both constructive and destructive ways. There are certainly moments where I was chilled, wanted to cry injustice or simply read to try and understand what it must be like to be in such a situation. But most of all what struck me is the misogyny that still exists, that is condoned even by our society, the doubt that is still attached to a woman's word and questions her experience and the explicit message that nothing can be done.
Since reading this book - because it is so personal and not drowned in statistics - I've become much more aware of the discourse and actions that occur at work, at home, in the public sphere and I'm a little overwhelmed by how much still needs to done to ensure the safety - let alone equality - for women and girls.… (mehr)