Jane Doe January by crime writer
Emily Winslow is a personal memoir of a horrific tragedy,
a rape she was forced to endure. While turning the pages people
will get fresh insight into the world of the victim as Winslow
confronts issues. Readers will begin to understand how there
is no set stereotype for a victim, since not everyone is going
to act and feel the same way.
Winslow commented, “I tried to understand and accept
that the jury could only like me if I conformed to some very
narrow range of emotion. I could not be angry. When on the
stand I would have to show emotions of vulnerability and hurt;
yet, hold back on other emotions. I wondered how do you let
sadness show but keep anger in, and be vulnerable but keep
my dignity.”
Through this book Winslow takes readers on a journey with
her as she delves into her past, reconnects with the original
detective on her case, and works with prosecutors as they
prepare for a trial. The story travels back in time to the
morning in January 1992 when she was raped. Over the course
of the next two decades she marries, has two children, becomes
an American expatriate living in Cambridge England, and becomes
a crime writer. The story reveals how she had to become her
own legal advocate to get possible retribution. She would
encounter a revolving door of detectives as she tried to keep
her case alive through inquiries. Only through pure luck,
when a friend of another victim, convinces a cold case detective
to test the DNA do they find the rapist, Arthur Fryar. After
matches were found to provide sufficient evidence he was prosecuted
in 2013. Although the ending would not be happily ever after
Winslow did get the truth and some kind of justice.
The most interesting points are when Winslow displays her
emotions. She does not comply with the usual portrayals of
rape victims as seen on the TV shows. Readers learn how she
did not shy away from the rapist, but became obsessed with
him, taking to social media to find as many facts as she could
by delving into his family and past. Beyond that she talks
to the reader through her writings, letting them know that
she is not going to forgive him and that she is not going
to cower, instead showing feelings of anger and defiance.
Finally, people see how the judicial system can let down a
victim as Winslow confronts extradition, statutory limits,
and sentencing guidelines.
She wants people to understand there is no one fits all victims
noting, “It’s like people want the victims to
follow a script. I write in the book, ‘What I feel is
that I would like him to be sentenced long enough that he
will surely die in prison.’ Yet, it seems so important
to people that I forgive him. I think they want it so I would
go along with the perfect victim story. Being a devout Christian,
I tried to figure out what forgiveness was supposed to look
like. It was like they were trying to rationalize reasons
for my attitude. They wanted me to say I was testifying to
save potential future victims. I thought what happened to
me is enough of a reason to testify. People tried to see me
as selfless, which I gently corrected.”
Jane Doe January is very powerful
because it allows people to think how they would have reacted.
It is written in almost a diary form as Winslow recounts her
quest to seek justice in a very open and honest way. People
should read this memoir to get invaluable insight into the
mind and heart of a victim.
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