5 books about sexual assault that schools are censoring – and why you should read them anyway

America’s war on women’s and LGBTQ+ individuals’ bodies and rights is trickling down to the books in our libraries. A new report by PEN America, an organization working to raise awareness for human rights through the protection of free expression through literature, found over 4,000 book bans in the first half of this school year alone, more than the total for last year’s entire academic year.

The censorship is taking extreme measures to ensure students cannot access these books, threatening librarians with prison times or thousands of dollars in fines for providing books labeled as “obscene” or “harmful”. A recent Washington Post investigation found that 27 states are considering at least 100 bills this year.

Themes of race, racism, LGBTQ+ topics and sexual violence are seeing the largest bans, leaving students stripped of representation and the opportunity to read about diverse experiences. According to PEN America, 19% of books banned during the 2021-2023 school years depicted rape and sexual assault, many of which were written for young adults.

“This is something that’s already very much a part of their lives,” Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) told the 19th yesterday. “Pretending that sexual violence is just an adult topic might make some people feel better, but kids know the truth.

According to RAINN, 1 in 9 girls and 1 in 20 boys experience sexual abuse or assault, and the ability to read books with storylines that help them understand their feelings are experiences is a lifeline.

Censorship is harmful, and books that promote visibility to those experiencing trauma and diverse experiences should not be banned. Here are a few titles to add to your reading list to support authors bringing awareness towards sexual assault and sexual violence.

“Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson

“Speak” is a classic for many millennials, in both book and movie form, with an adaptation starring pre-Twilight Kristen Stewart. It depicts the story of Melinda, a high school student who stops speaking after being sexually assaulted, and is considered one of the American Library Association’s most challenged books, banned 14 times in the 2022-2023 school year alone.

“All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George M. Johnson

Through a series of personal essays, this book touches on the intersections of gender, sexual identity, race, and more – striking multiple nerves with those looking to strip these identities out of libraries.

“Students ... have publicly said on record that works like mine have saved their lives, works like mine have helped them name their abusers, works like mine have helped them come to terms with who they are and feel validated in the fact that there is somebody else that exists in the world like them,” Johnson told NPR in 2022. “And you want to remove that from them. I just think it’s sad.”

“Sold” by Patricia McCormick

Depicting accounts of sexual slavery, “Sold” tied for sixth most banned book in the U.S. in fall 2022, banned in 11 school districts in 6 states.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood

This feminist dystopian novel has been making waves as we eerily watch women’s rights in the U.S. picked away since the Dobbs decision. It has been challenged for “vulgarity and sexual overtones.”

“The Nowhere Girls” by Amy Reed

“The Nowhere Girls” tells the story of a group of high schoolers banding together to resist sexism and the sexual abuse of women at their school, transforming the lives of classmates and their community.

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