Sexual Harassment & Violence

We've carefully curated a Collection of titles that center the experiences and impacts of Sexual Harassment & Violence. Representing a broad range of voices and genres, these titles explore the personal and social effects of violation through violence and sexual harassment through literary forms that include memoirs, poetry, and fiction.

Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Disability, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1907

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Play: Drama, Classic Fiction, Irish Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Play: Comedy / Satire

The Playboy of the Western World is a comedy written by Irish playwright John M. Synge. The play was first produced in 1907 at the Abbey Theatre, or the National Theatre of Ireland. Although his work was largely criticized during his lifetime, Synge is one of Ireland’s most famous 20th-century playwrights. He wrote only six plays during his relatively short career; the most notable among his works are The Playboy of the Western World and... Read The Playboy of the Western World Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge

Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Philosophy, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1824

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Gender / Feminism, Leadership/Organization/Management, Relationships, Parenting, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Identity: Femininity

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Community, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1594

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: War, Identity: Masculinity

Tags Elizabethan Era, Narrative / Epic Poem, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, Education, Education, British Literature, Drama / Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

“The Rape of Lucrece,” written by William Shakespeare, was originally published in 1594 by Richard Field. This poem comes early in Shakespeare’s canon, with its original publication near the end of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, shortly after Taming of the Shrew and around the time of A Midsummer Nights’ Dream. As a companion piece to “Venus and Adonis,” Shakespeare dedicates “The Rape of Lucrece” to the Earl of Southampton, Henry Wriothesley, his patron. It went... Read The Rape of Lucrece Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Chinese Literature, Japanese Literature, Politics / Government

The Rape of Nanking is a historical nonfiction book published in 1997 by American author and journalist Iris Chang. Subtitled The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, the book chronicles the 1937 Nanking massacre, during which the Imperial Japanese Army, over a six-week period, killed between 260,000 and 400,000 Chinese noncombatants and raped between 20,000 and 80,000 women. The Rape of Nanking was enormously influential in drawing attention to Japanese wartime atrocities, earning Chang numerous... Read The Rape of Nanking Summary


Publication year 1924

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Classic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2017

Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Life/Time: Aging

Tags Immigration / Refugee, Historical Fiction, Asian Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Vietnam War, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, History: World

The Refugees is a 2017 collection of short stories by celebrated Vietnamese American author, Viet Thanh Nguyen. Nguyen has written fiction, academic nonfiction, and children’s books, and his novel The Sympathizer won the Pulitzer Prize in 2016. Nguyen received his doctorate in English at the University of California Berkeley, and he currently is a literature professor at the University of Southern California. Nguyen’s scholarship and literary works focus on the experiences of Vietnamese communities in... Read The Refugees Summary


Publication year 1960

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Society: Politics & Government

Tags WWII / World War II, Holocaust, History: European, Politics / Government, Race / Racism, Grief / Death, History: World, Journalism, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Animals, Education, Arts / Culture, Natural Disaster, Philosophy, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Sports, Relationships, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1993

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

The Robber Bride by Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood was originally published in the United States in 1993. It tells the story of three women who suffer betrayal at the hands of a fourth woman, Zenia. The novel was inspired by The Robber Bridegroom, a 19th century German fairy tale which Atwood updates to 1990s Toronto. It combines Atwood’s notable sense of humor with her attention to contemporary political issues such as feminism and environmentalism. The... Read The Robber Bride Summary


Publication year 1965

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, Parenting, African American Literature, Post-War Era

“The Rockpile” is a short story by the novelist, essayist, and civil rights activist James Baldwin. Although it was originally published in Baldwin’s only short story collection, 1965’s Going to Meet the Man, it was likely written much earlier, as it uses characters that appear in his 1953 semi-autobiographical debut novel, Go Tell It On the Mountain. This guide refers to the 1995 First Vintage International edition of Going to Meet the Man.“The Rockpile” takes... Read The Rockpile Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, British Literature, Gothic Literature


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Magical Realism, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Parenting, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Arts / Culture, Middle Eastern Literature, Realistic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Incarceration, History: Middle Eastern, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Politics / Government, Jewish Literature

The Septembers of Shiraz (2007), a novel by Iranian writer Dalia Sofer, recounts the experiences of the Amins, an Iranian Jewish family, during the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s. The book is closely based on Sofer’s family history: When Sofer was 10, her family fled Iran, crossing the border to Turkey with the help of smugglers. The Septembers of Shiraz depicts the changing atmosphere and events that characterize the treatment of the wealthy class... Read The Septembers Of Shiraz Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality