This was phenomenally powerful, well-researched, well-written and absolutely brutal to read at times. Emily Hunt's struggle against the justice system to acknowledge that what happened to her was a crime, the systemic dismissal of violence against women, the diminishing of the impact of rape, sexual assault, and invasion of bodily integrity - Hunt writes with a humane and very real, painful voice that this awful thing happened to her, but this book is more than a gratuitous account of violence. Quite the opposite. This is a powerful polemic, an important read, and a truly stunning piece of work. I'll definitely be getting a hard copy when it's published, and recommend you read this, too.

In this non-fiction position, Emily Hunt tells her heartbreaking story. We follow her narration from when she woke up in a bed with a stranger and through her prolonged fight to have him recognised as a rapist and convicted for the crime. Disappointed by all the institutions that were supposed to help the women in her situation, she starts a battle for justice and a change in the way we perceive rape.

We Need to Talk is an autobiography and an interesting analysis of how our society understands sexual violence. The author presents the popular myths about rape and explains how they are harmful. Her arguments are supported by case studies and lots of sociological data. Emily Hunt points out the lack of support for victims, who are often treated with suspicion and undergo close scrutiny. She sees the reasons for this injustice in the way sexual violence is sometimes dismissed or ridiculed in the social discourse. I believe We Need to Talk to be a fascinating and essential position.

A truly remarkable lady. Who has the strength and resilience to fight for justice not just for herself but for everyone who unfortunately may find themselves in a position ad Emily. I hope that she continues her brilliant work for victims along with support from those people who enter lives in the worse circumstances. Thank you for sharing your experience I cannot begin to understand how you feel but can definitely support your cause.

Emily takes you through the part of her life where she is dealing with her rape, which involves the details of what happened when she woke up, through to her dealings with the police, CPS and the general justice system in the UK.

To say I was shocked and appalled at some of the things told through this book would be a huge understatement. I knew enough to expect that change is needed, but to that level is astounding. Emily does a great job of using her awful experience to open your eyes to how awful the system is in the UK when it comes to convicting rapists.

This was a real eye opener and I would highly recommend.

Wow – what an inspirational and informative read! I finished this in one sitting. Although the sensitive issue of rape and violence will not be for everyone, the awareness that Emily Hunt brings to her readers is exceptional.
There are various facts about the UK’s justice system brought to my attention that I did not previously have knowledge of, and while I am not legally trained, the writing style makes this remarkably simple and easy to understand. Our system is unmistakably broken, failing victims and their families in a disgustingly high proportion.

Emotionally persuasive and intense, I have finished this read feeling empowered yet incredibly angry for Emily and other victims like her.

We need to discuss this subject more openly, and I can only hope this book reaches as many people as possible!

Powerfully written, brutally honest, yet beautifully dignified. Five stars are never enough for this read! Pre-order a copy today!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately, it’s not the book for me. While the author’s story is horrific and her treatment by the police was abysmal, the structure of the book was very disjointed and as a result I’m unable to finish it. DNF @ 72%.

Thanks to Ad Lib publishers and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

We Need to Talk is an eye opening book about how rape is dealt with in England and their prosecutorial system. Emily Hunt shares her own experience of rape and her fight to bring her rapist to justice. This book is equal parts educational and infuriating. Emily Hunt deserved so much better than she got. A worth while read!!

What a heartbreaking story. This book broke my heart, finding out what she went through and then for the government to let her down and not provide enough help and support really made me mad. It was also informative and interesting.

This book will stay with me for a long long time, I just could not put it down and read it in two sittings. As a woman who is a part of the statistics that the author writes about, it horrifies and upsets me that rape is not seen as serious a crime that it is. To read how many cases are not reported and those that are not taken seriously just fills me with a rage that I should not have. Reading about the authors fight for justice with odds that were stacked against her from the very beginning made me cry- to go through such a life changing ordeal and not be believed and have to fight so hard to be heard ,this should not be happening.
I am so glad that she is helping to shape the way that rape cases are dealt with however there is still a long way to go but by writing this book she is helping to start conversations that we all should be having,men and women.
Although difficult to read it absolutely is a must read book for everyone.

This book is something everyone should read!
I've already told at least 3 friends they need to read it and it sparked a good conversation in work too.
If nothing else this book is something for change!

A riveting look at tragedy and pain which is uttimately a story of triumph and redemption. I appreciate4d the historical contextualizing here, which deepens the close look at personal experience.

What a brave story to tell! Hunt shares all about her rape and the injustice of the UK police system.

"We Need To Talk looks at how rape is a mainstream, everyday problem deeply damaging victims, their families, their workplaces and the economy.."

The subject matter is not a light read but a very important one and I am so happy this book exists. Thanks to NetGalley for the privilege to read in advance.

An excellent book if you’re interested in rape myths and the way rape victims are treated in England.

We Need to Talk is heart wrenching at times but towards the end there are tiny glimmers of hope for the future. This book tells the true story told by the incredible Emily Hunt who has worked tirelessly to change the way victims of rape are treated. After being raped in a hotel room whilst drugged, Emily reports the crime to police who immediately treat her terribly and don’t see her as the ‘right kind of victim.’ She battles for five years to get some justice for the crime committed, even though she isn’t supported by the police or the legal system. It’s only when a select few people listen to her story and try to help her that the perpetrator is taken to court and sentenced with a far too light punishment for his offence. Throughout the book, Emily details her dealings with the police and CPS, who are awful to her. They lie to her, treat her with unfair prejudice and fail to communicate with her properly. She also delves into the impact of being raped, the personal, mental and financial ramifications of being a victim in this dreadful situation for which she is completely not to blame.

Emily backs up her points with cited studies and research, providing the reader with solid facts. Some of which are unbelievable awful, like the fact that only 1.3% of reported rape cases ever actually see prosecution. The writing style is engaging and detailed, and at times is hard to read as she describes the impact on her mental health of fighting for justice. Emily Hunt insists that change needs to be made in both the police force and CPS and towards the end of the book she outlines some of her work as a government advisor, working to change the way rape victims are treated.

Although it makes me so angry to read about how rape victims like Emily are treated and how useless the police and CPS can be, this was a well written and interesting read that I would recommend to anyone, especially those working within the judicial system.

TW; rape & sexual assault, attempted suicide, discussions around PTSD, panic attacks and mental health crisis.

“Regardless of the women that you are imagining, around a fifth have been sexually assaulted or been the victim of an attempted sexual assault.”

Emily’s powerful retelling of her own experience of rape often left me with a lump in my throat. Whilst I too was frustrated at the handling of her case I found myself looking at my own thoughts on rape and how victims cases are not only unfairly handled by the police and the CPS, but how victims are considered. Whilst reading this I seen an article on the local news site in my area - “man accused of rape on park bench acquitted by jury.” This is an important piece of literature that everyone should read, not only to understand Emily’s experience. But to understand how prevalent rape is; and how unfairly and unjustly a lot of cases are handled all over the world.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and thank you Emily for sharing your story. You are a force to be reckoned with.

What a powerhouse of a book! I gasped, I was outraged, my jaw dropped in disbelief but overall, I wasn’t shocked. I wasn’t shocked about the repeat failings of the criminal justice system which we trust to protect us and that its treatment of rape victims is terrifying. BUT I was inspired and hopeful to learn about Emily’s fight to change laws, public perceptions and that whilst we have a long way to go, womens’ bravery is leading us in the right direction.

This book is part memoir part investigation and is the type of book I want to force into the hands of everyone I pass. Having said that, understandably, this book is raw, explicit, and is sure to bring out a myriad of emotions in anyone that reads it (that’s why it’s so powerful) but make sure you understand the content as it’s definitely a difficult read.

Whilst the content is difficult and some hard truths are served up, the writing is very accessible and I devoured it. I turned the pages in rage and by the end I felt so empowered and thankful that there are people like Emily in the world fighting for what’s so plainly right, but still remains ambiguous in the eyes of the law.

I could go on and on about this book (I highlighted so many quotes) and I will be raving about it to all my friends and family.

Please pick it up. You will undoubtedly learn something and want to tell your friends due to your fury, which is the whole point, to spark conversations. But it’s not all negative, it’s a book of resilience, fight, inspiration and alliance, and Emily’s openness and vulnerability has already, and will continue to make sure we talk about an experience that so many women have, and continue to face.

Thank you to EmilyHunt, Ad Lib Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC

"Emily was in a restaurant, having lunch with her father – the next thing she remembers is waking up, naked, in a strange hotel room, next to a man she did not know. She suspected she had been drugged and raped. She later found out she had been filmed without her consent.
What happened to her that night could have happened to anyone. What came next happens to far too many victims, as failures by the police, CPS and other parts of the system, led to Emily doubting she would ever find justice."

Whew - this is HEAVY. Part memoir, part investigation, Emily shines a light on the fault lines of a system and a society that is failing rape views. We Need to Talk looks at how rape is a mainstream, everyday problem deeply damaging victims and their families. Inspiring & engaging at the same damn time. Beautifully written and so important - the author did an excellent job at a difficult topic.

Thank you so much to Emily Hunt, Ad Lib Publishers, Mardle Books, and NetGalley for this incredible ARC.

Wow. What a brave book. It’s incredibly raw and real and at times, extremely difficult and emotional to read. I think it’s the kind of book that you need to be a really good place to read because of the content and how difficult it can be to process what’s being said. I’m someone who has experienced a lot of sexual trauma and have C-PTSD as a result of this and so it really hit me when I was reading. I had to take it slow and be gentle with myself thouhh and I recommend anyone else who reads this does the same.

We Need to Talk by Emily Hunt is a gut wrenching and honest memoir. I am a survivor myself and anytime I read another book by a fellow survivor, a part of me feels home.

Thank you so much to Emily Hunt, Ad Lib Publishers, Mardle Books, and NetGalley for this incredible arc. A Must read.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARCin exchange for an honest review.

Rape can be a controversial subject and this book proves that as the author tells her story, while describing the multiple failings of police, hospitals and courts to ensure the outcome she is looking for.

Emily Hunt tells her story. A beautiful dinner with her dad and waking up 5 hours later in an unknown hotel with an unknown man. Failed by the police who considered her unreliable as she called a friend and not the police….Emily has to fight through mountains to ensure that she brings her attacker to justice.

Despite the subject matter, this book is beautifully written. You ache for Emily as you read the failures. You want to be the person going to the police station with her. You want to be her support because you know she needs it.

Emily fought for many years and was able to tell her story. She was able to help make new police officers understand how to act with rape victims. She was able to make a difference.