Overview

The shocking true story of a bizarre kidnapping and the victims' re-victimization by the justice system. The shocking true story of a bizarre kidnapping and the victims' re-victimization by the justice system. DON'T MISS THE DOCUMENTARY AMERICAN NIGHTMARE−NOW STREAMING ON NETFLIX In March 2015, Denise Huskins and her boyfriend Aaron Quinn awoke from a sound sleep into a nightmare. Armed men bound and drugged them, then abducted Denise. Warned not to call the police or Denise would be killed. Aaron agonized about what to do. Finally he put his trust in law enforcement and dialed 911. But instead of searching for Denise, the police accused Aaron of her murder. His story, they told him, was just unbelievable. When Denise was released alive, the police turned their fire on her, dubbing her the ""real-life 'Gone Girl'"" who had faked her own kidnapping. In Victim F, Aaron and Denise recount the horrific ordeal that almost cost them everything. Like too many victims of sexual violence, they were dismissed, disbelieved, and dragged through the mud. With no one to rely on except each other, they took on the victim blaming, harassment, misogyny, and abuse of power running rife in the criminal justice system. Their story is, in the end, a love story, but one that sheds necessary light on sexual assault and the abuse by law enforcement that all too frequently compounds crime victims' suffering.

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9780593099964

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Reviews

“Denise Huskins is a true hero. What courage it took to survive the horrors that would be enough to silence many; but the courage she has shown in writing Victim F, reliving the worst days (and years) of her life, is a true service to humanity. This book will change how you perceive what it is to be a victim and how victims are treated, and perhaps more importantly how survivors should be treated. Denise and Aaron’s unabashed and forthright narrative is compelling and overwhelming. I do not have the words to adequately describe the emotional journey it took me on, but I believe this book has the power to change lives, routine procedures, best practices, our victim-blaming and shaming culture—and, in short, humanity.”—Elizabeth Smart, bestselling author of My Story “Unfortunately trauma remains one of the most common and challenging phenomena facing patients and the mental health professionals treating them. Victim F is a compelling and illuminative read and a testament to the importance of understanding the struggle to heal from trauma. It is more crucial than ever that we come to understand those suffering, and even ourselves, with compassion and empathy. Kudos to Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn for bravely showing us the way.”—Drew Pinsky, MD “A powerful story of crime, injustice, and, ultimately, triumph. Told with heart and verve, this searing tale keeps you reading well into the night.”—Abigail Pesta, author of The Girls: An All-American Town, a Predatory Doctor, and the Untold Story of the Gymnasts Who Brought Him Down “This book had me screaming on almost every page. I wish this were a work of fiction. It’s a case that could only have been true from the first disclosure. You’ll want to burn the house down yet you can’t turn the pages quick enough. A searing account that’s well-written and unputdownable. A story of true survival, hope, and courage.”—Laura Richards, former head of the sexual offenses section, New Scotland Yard, and founder of Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service “Victim F is not only a riveting story of two survivors’ mission to seek justice after a heinous crime, but an authentic and moving account of their healing journey that will resonate with many who have experienced the trauma of sexual violence. Their stories illustrate the most significant challenge that survivors share with us on the National Sexual Assault Hotline—the fear (and, for many, the reality) of not being believed. Victim F reveals how far we are from providing survivors with the justice they deserve after these crimes, and the incredible strength of those who refuse to be left behind.”—Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of RAINN “Aaron Quinn and Denise Huskins have written a profoundly moving, heartbreaking, and surreal true-crime memoir about their Kafkaesque ordeal in a criminal justice system that quickly became an entrenched criminal injustice system. Victim F is a true-crime story masterfully told that combines captivating legal drama with a penetrating exposé. You will not be able to put it down. It stands as an object lesson for police and prosecutors on how not to bungle a criminal investigation and how not to revictimize real victims of violent crime, and it is important reading for anyone who cares about improving truth-finding and the quality of justice in America’s legal system.”—Richard A. Leo, Hamill Family Professor of Law, University of San Francisco, and author of Police Interrogation and American Justice “A gripping read—and an important cautionary tale about how crime victims can be victimized not just by criminals but by the criminal justice process itself. Victim F sadly reminds us not only of the terrible harms criminals inflict, but of how far we have to go to ensure victims aren’t harmed by the process designed to bring criminals to justice.”—Paul Cassell, former federal judge and Ronald N. Boyce Presidential Professor of Criminal Law and University Distinguished Professor of Law, S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah “The compelling true story of the so-called ‘real-life Gone Girl’ kidnapping-rape case and the bungled police investigation that turned on the victims as suspects.”—Peter Vronsky, author of American Serial Killers

Author Information

Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn are physical therapists born and raised in California. They married in September 2018, and in 2020 welcomed a daughter, Olivia. Investigative journalist Nicole Weisensee Egan is the author of Chasing Cosby- The Downfall of America's Dad. Among her awards are the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's prestigious Hope Award and Time Inc.'s Luce Award for public service.

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