Defining Sexual Misconduct: Power, Media, and #MeToo

by Stacey Hannem, Christopher J. Schneider

In 2015, the New York Times ran just a single headline with the term “sexual misconduct.” Three years later, it ran dozens of such headlines, averaging more than one per week, and expanded coverage across other media organizations followed. This shift in coverage is reflective of significant changes in public discourse about sexual harm helping to hold some perpetrators accountable for their behaviour and paved the path for #MeToo and related movements against sexual abuse and harm to receive national and global attention.

In Defining Sexual Misconduct, Stacey Hannem and Christopher Schneider trace contemporary shifts in power in relation to the increased recognition and censure of sexual misconduct and the ways in which the shifting social landscape is communicated in the coverage of sexual misconduct in media.

Hannem and Schneider also examine the contemporary dynamics of public accusations and their relationship to more formal criminal justice processes, as well as the implications for the stigmatization of alleged abusers and public response to alleged victims. Since behaviours categorized as sexual misconduct may not all be defined as crimes, or punishable through legal means, social censure and cancel culture often stand as proxy forms of punishment, and the authors reflect on what the pursuit of justice might look like in this extra-legal context.

368 pages, Paperback

Published May 7, 2022

Reviews

[J'Naia Stepp · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s interesting and informative book about an important topic. However, I did lose interest at times.

[Toby Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this book is published by University of Regina press, I knew before I even started page one that I was in for a fact-based read that dove extremely deep into the subject matter. I wasn't wrong.

Defining Sexual Misconduct takes a handful of high-profile sexual misconduct cases and delves deep into how they are framed by the news media. Readers then get to see how survivors are treated - often horrifically - and the after-effects. The book focuses primarily on the coverage of allegations against former Canadian media personality Jian Ghomeshi, Bill Cosby, Donald Trump, Harvey Weinstein, as well as two comedians: Aziz Ansari and Louis C.K. It also goes into detail about the Weinstein Effect: the phenomenon where some men (Trump, for example) seem impenetrable to sexual misconduct allegations whereas others (such as the man that the phenomenon is named for) do not. This is fascinating reading!

Two other areas that Defining Sexual Misconduct explores are the #MeToo movement and Indigenous women. I'd forgotten how the #MeToo movement started and it was helpful to get a refresher on how the practice of women publicly naming and shaming the perpetrators of inappropriate sexual misconduct began (we have Alyssa Milano to thank for that.) And we read about the “change makers,” the Indigenous men and women who shared their experiences with the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. The sexual violence and sexual misconduct that Indigenous women and girls have endured needs to be acknowledged.

I am only slightly exaggerating when I say that the notes and bibliography section of this book take up as many pages as several lengthy chapters combined. That is a good thing as it means the material is heavily researched and backed. I love that in a nonfiction book as it amps up the credibility level. It also provides a valuable list of where else you can find more resources on the topic if the book leaves you wanting more.

Defining Sexual Misconduct was a bit disheartening at times as it drove home how far we have to go to reach a point where victims of inappropriate or unwanted sexual conduct feel safe to come forward. But it was also positive and uplifting in terms of showing how far the media industry, the online world, and some people's thinking have come when it comes to sexual misconduct. It's a never-ending fight for justice but progress is being made. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever been on either end of sexual misconduct and those who want to know more about the topic.

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me just start by saying I enjoyed this book but it was more academic as opposed to entertaining and interesting. Non-fiction is one of my favorite genres and social nonfiction would have to be my absolute favorite and so when I got this book I thought it would be very interesting to read commentary on the me too movement and how sexual misconduct claims have changed, but 20% of the beginning of the book is about the fourth coming chapters as opposed to just getting on with the book they first explain what you’re going to read. I also wish they had more on cancel culture and false claims but having said that I didn’t joy the book once I got to it. I received this book from netGally and the author and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

[Morgan Rachai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting read and certainly relevant to my work as a sexualized violence educator. I found it to read more like an essay at times, which really was fine, just not my fave style! Very informative though if you’re looking for concise info on the Cosby, Ghomeshi, Trump, Weinstein, or Louis scandals.

[Dominique Absalom · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important topic. I would love o say I had a great time with this one due to its contents, but the execution left me wanting. It's hard to make non-fiction, ecspecially on a topic such as this accessible and open, so I'm not heavily aggrieved by it.

[Kelsey Weekman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't finish reading this book because it was a bit too dry for me to continue fighting through the NetGalley app interface that kept refreshing (not sure why this book wasn't available for ebook download?), though it's a really fascinating topic. As a member of the media, I find myself using words like "sexual misconduct" all the time, and now I know how truly broad and unhelpful that can be. I didn't finish the book, but I did learn a lot, and I think that's a triumph.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.