I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope
Description
“A bold, new voice.” —People
“A nuanced addition to the #MeToo conversation.” —Vice
A young survivor tells her searing, visceral story of sexual assault, justice, and healing in this gutwrenching memoir.
The numbers are staggering: nearly one in five girls ages fourteen to seventeen have been the victim of a sexual assault or attempted sexual assault. This is the true story of one of those girls.
In 2014, Chessy Prout was a freshman at St. Paul’s School, a prestigious boarding school in New Hampshire, when a senior boy sexually assaulted her as part of a ritualized game of conquest. Chessy bravely reported her assault to the police and testified against her attacker in court. Then, in the face of unexpected backlash from her once-trusted school community, she shed her anonymity to help other survivors find their voice.
This memoir is more than an account of a horrific event. It takes a magnifying glass to the institutions that turn a blind eye to such behavior and a society that blames victims rather than perpetrators. Chessy’s story offers real, powerful solutions to upend rape culture as we know it today. Prepare to be inspired by this remarkable young woman and her story of survival, advocacy, and hope in the face of unspeakable trauma.
Praise for I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor's Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope
“A new, bold voice.”
— People Magazine
“A nuanced addition to the #MeToo conversation.”
— VICE
* “Candid and inspiring…Powerful, essential reading for all high school and college students, parents, and educators.”
— Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
* “Readers will instantly connect with Prout’s genuineness and her candor…This outstanding memoir is a must for YA collections.”
— School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
“Heartbreaking.”
— The Boston Globe
“An unfiltered look into [Chessy’s] assault, the high-profile criminal trial and her decision to go public. The memoir [will take] readers on an emotional journey.”
— The Concord Monitor
“Honest and raw....Readers will take away a deep appreciation and admiration for Prout's resilience as she transitions into a resolute crusader for the empowerment of victims of sexual violence—and for its prevention.”
— Publishers Weekly
“Both heartbreaking and hopeful, an honest and frank testimony; it is an important (if difficult) read that acts as both an eye-opener and a call to action.”
— Shelf Awareness for Readers