On Rape by Germaine Greer

Greer has produced several discussion books and produced this little book on a big idea in 2018. A backlash to misogynistic and violent treatment has seen the rise of the #metoo movement. This movement has managed to cancel people without evidence or legal proceedings and has arisen because of the legal system’s ineptness at handling these cases. Neither lack of legal outcomes nor cancelling people without evidence are desired. Greer’s straightforward and honest presentation of facts prompts us to rethink how we define and persecute sexual assault crimes. She provides a plethora of evidence to relate how problematic and ubiquitous sexual violence is and how it continues regardless of the demand for consent. It is notoriously difficult to prosecute and to define. She suggests a paradigm shift where we dispense with the term rape. Instead, replacing this term with an obvious set of criteria regarding sexual assault may remove the lack of clarity around this topic. This book is a succinct, thoroughly researched discussion starter.