Books like Asking for it by Kate Harding

In Asking for It, Kate Harding investigates how contemporary American culture supports perpetrators of sexual assault more than victims. Drawing on research and practical insight, she dissects the three pillars of rape culture—excusing the accused, blaming the victim, and insisting on self‑protection—while proposing actionable changes that maintain due process for the accused. The book blends social science with feminist critique, examining media narratives, political rhetoric, and societal attitudes that perpetuate sexual violence. Harding’s style is direct and unfiltered, mirroring her influential feminist blog work. She argues for a cultural shift that takes rape seriously through policy reform, education, and public accountability, aiming to reduce the disparity between reported rapes and felony convictions. This work is positioned as the first recent non‑academic single‑author book to tackle rape culture as a social phenomenon, following 2008’s Yes Means Yes. It remains grounded in evidence while calling for practical solutions.

First publish date: 2015