Nobody’s Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls

Victims’ rights lawyer Goldberg shares invaluable insight gleaned from five years of experience helping victims of assault and harassment fight their tormentors in court. She describes past and ongoing cases: one man’s ex-boyfriend posted his information on the hook-up app Grindr, inviting strangers to visit his home for sex; a young woman was manipulated into filming pornography; an adult man extorted a teenager into sending nude photos; a young teen was sexually assaulted by a classmate and, after reporting it to the authorities, was suspended from school. While detailing the cases on which she’s worked, Goldberg traces the history of relevant judicial rulings and legislation, including the legal fight to hold websites responsible for threats posted by users, the evolution of Title IX, and the work of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative to ban the dissemination of “revenge porn.” Goldberg also candidly narrates her personal ordeal with a former boyfriend who threatened her, had her arrested on false charges, and sent her private photos to her friends and family, which put her on the path toward her current career. This is an illuminating and significant window into the present state of victims’ rights and a potentially powerful resource for readers dealing with abuse or harassment. Agent: Adriann Ranta Zurhellen, Foundry Literary + Media. (Aug.)