Violence against Women in Kentucky: A History of U.S. and State Legislative Reform by Carol E. Jordan (review)

As Carol E. Jordan observes, “Lost in the silence surrounding women’s history in Kentucky are cries that reverberate across generations from women whose lives have been marred by men’s violence—unwelcome, unwanted, terrifying violence” (1). Her book, Violence against Women in Kentucky: A History of U.S. and State Legislative Reform, is meant to address this silence accordingly: “The primary purpose … is to use the vehicle of storytelling to chronicle Kentucky’s legislative response to rape, domestic violence, and stalking from 1970 to 2012” (4). Violence against Women in Kentucky is part history, part manual for those hoping to enact legislative reform. In addition to the numerous studies and statistics Jordan utilized, she interviewed advocates, legislators, former governors, former first ladies, attorneys, legislative staff members, survivors, and the families of those lost to violence; she relies on her narrators’ words to illuminate the impact of violence against women and the emotion and commitment of those fighting to end this violence in Kentucky. Jordan’s work is an important addition to scholarly efforts focusing on violence against women, on grassroots advocacy, and on legislative histories, covering all three areas adeptly. It is also an excellent example of the importance of narratives as primary sources. Her work does not gloss over the frightening realities of women’s lives; indeed, she allows the stories of women to stand shoulder to shoulder with scholarly research, giving equal value to each and creating a compelling account of the lived experience of violence for women and the unending work of those driving legislative reform. Violence against Women in Kentucky details the types and prevalence of violence against women, using stories of victims and survivors to contextualize Jordan’s extensive research.

She opens her book by exploring the history of Kentucky and the lives of Kentucky women, also looking at early efforts of the women’s movement to take up the issue of violence against women. In doing so, Jordan notes the development of two distinct groups: the antirape movement and the domestic violence movement. The formation of these two groups is important in part because of the different strategies each used: the antirape movement sought reforms that dealt more with criminal law, while those within the domestic violence movement pursued reforms related more to civil law.

Jordan then moves on to trace reform around the issue of rape nationally. In reaction to women’s common experience of secondary victimization, early reform efforts focused on reducing the persecution of rape victims as well as on the increased prosecution of rapists; some notable attempts addressed the use of a victim’s sexual history during trial, spousal rape, and the implementation and availability of forensic rape examinations. Jordan notes that while reforms have increased reporting rates and much-needed advocacy services, and have extended legal protections, increased rates of prosecution and conviction have yet to be achieved. Jordan then turns her attention to national reform efforts aimed at domestic violence and stalking, which focused on ensuring that police and the courts actually used the laws that existed to protect women, commenting that “early on advocates found that the criminal justice system was less than effective because it was designed solely to punish behaviors after the fact, not to address the ongoing threat to the victims of domestic violence” (119). The importance of having services and safe places for women was crucial, as well as establishing civil remedies such as protective orders that could address the ongoing nature of domestic violence and stalking effectively.

As much as Violence against Women in Kentucky serves as a historical account, Jordan’s intent was also to create a manual for those hoping to enact legislative reform. She shifts her tone and purpose in the fifth chapter of the book to enable it to serve as a how-to guide on effective strategies for legislative reform...