Same River, Twice: Putin’s War on Women by Sofi Oksanen – review
www.theguardian.com
Mon, 14 Apr 2025 09:00:35 +0300
This harrowing study of the Russian leaders weaponising of sexual violence argues that misogyny goes hand in hand with imperialismIn 1944, the Red Army pushed the Germans out of the Baltic state of Estonia.
Soon afterwards, Soviet officers took away Sofi Oksanens greataunt for interrogation.
It was night.
When she returned the next morning Oksanens young relative appeared unscathed.
In fact, she had been raped.
She could only mutter a few words Jah, ra, or Yes, please dont.The consequences of her unspoken ordeal were lifelong.
As Oksanen relates it, her greataunt became mute.
She never married, had children or a relationship.
Nor were the men who abused her punished.
After the Soviet reoccupation which saw Estonia erased from Europes map she lived quietly with her ageing mother.
Blackandwhite family photos and the stories that went with them were hidden.Same River, Twice Putins War on Women by Sofi Oksanen is published by HarperVia 16.99.
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