Armies of Enablers

What do sexual assault survivors expect of the enabler-bystander? In this powerful book, Amos N. Guiora shares the stories of survivors to expose how individual and institutional enablers allow predators to perpetrate their crimes through silence and other failures to act. He then proposes legal, cultural, and social measures aimed at the enabler from the survivor’s perspective.

Based on thousands of pages of grand jury indictments, civil lawsuits, criminal prosecutions, special reports, media accounts, and personal interviews with numerous survivors and their attorneys, Amos N. Guiora poses this critical question:

What do sexual assault survivors expect of the enabler-bystander?

Focusing on cases of sexual assault from USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University, Penn State University, The Ohio State University, and the Catholic Church, interview after interview sheds compelling light on two powerful responses: that this question had not been previously asked and that survivor expectation of protection and support from the enabler-bystander was rarely, if ever, met.

Clearly the perpetrator benefitted from the complicity of the enabler. From the survivor's perspective, both bear responsibility for their plight and must be held accountable. This book emphasizes individual and institutional enablers alike; in fact, armies of enablers.

With emotions ranging from deep disappointment to seething anger and extreme frustration, all articulate profound abandonment by the person in a position to assist them in the face of sexual assaults.

Guiora proposes legal, cultural, and social measures aimed at the enabler from the survivor’s perspective. The proposed changes will address, and impact, both broader society and specific communities including higher education, elite athletics, sports organizations, religious institutions, law enforcement, the entertainment industry, and elected officials.

With this book, Guiora is committed to sharing survivor stories and to propel change, which is essential to protect future survivors. Only by hearing their stories, do we fully understand the power of the enabler and the pain they cause the survivor. Their voices must propel us to change.