The Whole Story

A leading criminologist draws on more than thirty years' experience to propose a new way of understanding sexual crimes

The prevalence of sexual offending is one of the most urgent, and most widely misunderstood, subjects of our times. Drawing on his experience working with sex offenders and survivors, Patrick Tidmarsh explains how and why at every stage of the criminal and justice process we continue to get things so badly wrong. He powerfully argues that we need to find a new way to understand, investigate and talk about these crimes. He invites us all to question our own prejudices and assumptions - about both victims and perpetrators - and to question the social, criminal, and judicial systems that mean most victims still stay silent, and so few sexual offenders are held to account.

Written with calm authority, insight and sensitivity, The Whole Story reveals the shocking reality of sexual crimes today and offers an urgent roadmap for change.