One Hour in Paris: A True Story of Rape and Recovery

Philosopher Freedman (Univ. of Guelph, Ont.) was, as a guileless young backpacker, raped and brutalized in a Paris apartment on August 1, 1990. She dealt with shame, hyperarousal, and panic attacks following her assault, but she points out that coming out as a rape survivor can go a long way toward erasing the humiliation that comes with having one's body used sexually and violently, against one's will. In telling her story, Freedman challenges the notion that rape is solely about power, asserting that, to the survivor of the crime, rape is all about sex and can lead to lifelong sexual inhibitions. In the decade following her assault, the author sought and found solidarity in group sessions in Canada and halfway around the world in a rape clinic in Botswana. Freedman contends that rape is rooted in gender discrimination and the oppression of women worldwide, that structural inequalities will persist until addressed.