This was the first book I’ve read by Malcolm Gladwell, and despite all the good things i’ve heard about his work, it will also be my last. In this book, Gladwell reduces sexual assault to miscommunication, engages in blatant victim blaming, and invalidates survivors of sexual assault. He goes into intense and unnecessary detail of assault of children, sympathizing with the perpetrators, and he turns the story of a brave woman’s disclosure into a chapter on college drinking culture, where he, as expected, blames alcohol for rape. 

This is clearly written from a place of immense privilege, and it’s infuriating to see the large platform that gladwell has been given. I do not have the time or energy to explain why this is wrong. There are many, many resources out there to educate yourself, and many ways that you can support survivors of sexual assault. Supporting this book and Gladwell is not one of them.