Book review: Marianne Colbranne, Crime and Investigative Reporting in the UK

Abstract

message that these behaviours are unacceptable. They make an attempt to problematise sexual harassment by touching on structural invisibility and inequalities such as for example McDonald’s female employees and how the intersection of race, social class and income have made them and their experiences more ‘invisible’ (certainly more so than Hollywood actresses). This section is rather short and would have possibly benefitted from further elaboration. In the final chapters Kantor and Twohey focus on the case of Professor Christine Blasey Ford, who was sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh in High school. They detail her fears about coming forward and the lasting impact of her public testimony in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In the Epilogue we have the chance to read about the impact sharing their stories with the world had on the women who went on the record; they talk about empowerment, growth, redefining their lives but also paying a price in terms of their well-being, reputation (their names irrevocably connected to the names of the perpetrators), receiving death threats or being treated with disbelief. Notwithstanding the need for further critical analysis on the socio-cultural contexts that enable Weinsteinian types of behaviour, this book contributes to our understanding of the layered and endemic sexual abuse that women had endured for many years in Hollywood. It sheds light onto one of the biggest sexual violence scandals in the history of the US movie industry in an honest, detailed and at times intimate and compassionate manner. It acutely conveys the tensions, dilemmas and dangers involved in investigating a story with high stakes for all parties involved. All in all, with this book Kantor and Twohey prove that they were not merely chasing the story but cared for these women and wanted to hold Weinstein accountable for the harms he caused. They are urging us to speak up and call the shots, which means identifying and naming abuse when we witness it because, as Professor Ford defiantly proffered, it is our civic duty. And because, as Judd in her Dean’s Scholar Award essay wrote ‘something is waiting on the other side’ (pp. 35–36). I believe she means something less bleak and more hopeful, for the sake of all women, and men.