Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town

In Part 6, Chapters 29 through 32 of Missoula, Jon Krakauer continues to expose the institutional failures that have allowed perpetrators of sexual assault to evade accountability. Although he continues to consider individual cases, the emphasis is on the systemic critique of the University of Montana, the Missoula Police Department, the Missoula County Attorney’s Office, and the nationwide culture they represent—one that downplays or ignores sexual violence. In this context, Krakauer’s continued alternation between individual testimonies and a critical analysis of the systemic issues revealed through legal documents and investigations highlights how individual cases reflect larger societal issues. For example, the analysis of Johnson’s trial and its aftermath demonstrates the interconnectedness of individual experiences and institutional responsibility.

The Role of Institutions in Perpetuating or Combating Rape Culture is thus a central theme in this section, as Krakauer scrutinizes how the University of Montana, in particular, allowed its adoration of the Griz football team to overshadow its responsibility to protect students from harm. As Krakauer notes, “The adoration of the Griz football team created a pernicious atmosphere of entitlement” (367). This quote encapsulates how the university’s prioritization of its football program fostered a sense of immunity among athletes, creating an environment where sexual violence could thrive without consequences. The word “pernicious” emphasizes the insidious nature of this entitlement, suggesting that it corrupted the institution’s ability to serve as a fair and protective body for all its students. By focusing on how this culture allowed players to escape scrutiny, Krakauer critiques the broader cultural reverence for athletics that often places athletes above the law, thereby perpetuating rape culture within institutions.

Krakauer draws on legal scholars and governmental reports to build his credibility and strengthen his critique of the legal system, which ties into the theme of The Dynamics of Sexual Assault Cases in the Legal System. In particular, Krakauer references the DOJ findings to underscore the systemic issues in the Missoula County Attorney’s Office and the police department’s mishandling of cases. Krakauer’s reliance on sources like the DOJ report anticipates criticism that accounts of institutional failures are anecdotal; rather, individual accounts are backed by formal investigations and expert analysis.

Krakauer also continues to underscore the psychological impact of rape, which institutional failures often exacerbate, as part of his exploration of Victim Advocacy and the Challenges Faced by Survivors. The quote, “The repercussions of severe emotional trauma, whether from war or rape, are typically felt for decades” (380), illustrates the long-lasting impact of sexual assault, which Krakauer compares to the trauma of war. By invoking a widely understood form of trauma—post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from war—Krakauer validates the severity of the psychological effects of rape and criticizes the justice system’s failure to address these impacts with the same seriousness. As veterans experiencing PTSD have historically tended to be men whereas rape survivors experiencing PTSD tend to be women, there is also an implicit critique of the broader gendered differences in society’s approach to trauma.

Language remains key to Krakauer’s narrative. His sharp, direct tone reflects the urgency of the issue, particularly when discussing the systemic barriers that survivors face in seeking justice. Krakauer’s critique of the Missoula County Attorney’s Office, for example, is not merely an indictment of one individual but of a culture that allowed the MCAO to consistently under-prosecute sexual assault cases. The direct diction and syntax of the quote, “Rapists rely on the silence of their victims to elude accountability” (380), underscores Krakauer’s focus on giving survivors a voice. By emphasizing the connection between silence and impunity, Krakauer highlights how the justice system’s failure to support survivors often results in their voices being silenced, either through disbelief, intimidation, or institutional neglect.