Where Sleeping Girls Lie

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of gender discrimination, rape, sexual violence, and sexual harassment.

The #MeToo movement was founded in 2006 by activist and survivor Tarana Burke. Initially, Burke envisioned the movement to provide healing resources and support to survivors of sexual violence. However, in 2017, the hashtag #MeToo went viral, revealing the widespread nature of sexual violence. The hashtag, which was meant to convey a sense of community and empathy among survivors, soon inspired millions to share their stories of sexual violence.

In a society where men are expected to be powerful and domineering, and women should be passive and accepting, these gender norms can easily be exploited. Gender-based violence and harassment are so normalized and widespread that many survivors convince themselves that what they experienced was normal or that they unwittingly did something to invite the unwanted attention. Because perpetrators often hold positions of power, survivors frequently aren’t believed when they try to report the crime. The #MeToo movement helped survivors see that they were not alone in their experience and helped society understand the magnitude of the problem and unpack some of the cultural norms that allow sexual violence and harassment to go unchecked.

In the UK, the culture of rape and sexual harassment at elite educational institutions was thrust into the spotlight in 2020 when the website Everyone’s Invited went live. The website allowed young survivors to share their stories anonymously, and many indicated the school they attended. To date, the site has collected more than 50,000 stories and caused elite boarding schools across the UK to reevaluate practices and cultural norms that allow sexual violence to proliferate.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie is an intimate look at the issue of rape culture and sexual harassment, as well as the societal norms that ostracize survivors and protect perpetrators. Girls like Jamila and Elizabeth, both of whom are raped by the wealthy, athletic, and popular Jude Ripley, are not only disbelieved when they try to share their experience, they are blamed and punished for being assaulted. Even apparently popular and well-connected girls, like Persephone and April, are harassed and assaulted by boys on campus, illustrating the widespread nature of the issue and the many layers of silence that hide and perpetuate sexual violence.

The novel also delves into the role that young men play in normalizing and preserving a culture of gender-based violence and harassment. Jude’s close friends, like August, know full well what his friend does, yet never speak up or support the survivors that come forward. The website, NotSoNoble, that Sade and Persephone develop to reveal the male students’ sexism and violence and later offer a safe space for survivors to share their stories mirrors the Everyone’s Invited project. Although there is still much progress to be made, much of the silence around sexual violence has been broken, and survivors are able to express themselves in ways they weren’t before.