Bri LeeReseñas

As gripping as any novel; but very sobering, sometimes depressing. The justice system is so tilted against women reporting sexual abuse. Makes me, as a man, want to apologise to all women on behalf of my gender.

This has been sitting around in my 'read this soon' pile for a while and I was finally in the right mood to attack this one.

I did really like this book but in some ways I was hoping it would be better. It had a good mix of anecdotes and facts but it just still felt a bit 'light'. there were many things that I would have liked to have been explored in more depth. One example was a passing comment regarding alternative career pathways and standardisation of professional pathways. Covered in less than a paragraph. I recall when nursing training in Australia was moved to the universities, as the author had mentioned doctors around the same part of the book I'd be interested in mentioning this (around the time I was working night shifts in nursing homes while studying, I recall a fair few discussions from the nurse on duty about how she felt about this). This is just one example of a pathway changing that I am personally aware of, in this book it is mentioned about older barristers, what other professions have been affected? What is the background behind these imposed changes? What about 'hybrid' pathways (e.g. study at university for 6 months, work in the industry for 6 months). What is the cohort of people being accepted into these programs? Does this particular model once again only benefit those who wouldn't experience financial stress with full time study or does it open it up?

Another topic I would have been interested in would have been the extent to which 'exchange years' (so not to the level of a Rhodes scholarship, but getting the opportunity to study at an overseas university for a year or two and what advantages are granted with this model.
I came out of this with the feeling of having attended brunch when I really wanted dinner.

I feel that this is a really important topic that deserves attention (that privilege passes down generations). Perhaps too much was attempted to be covered in a single book, resulting in me feeling that the author was skipping from topic to topic against a checklist.

I definitely did enjoy this book though and am glad I read it, but still it will be passed onto a friend (as I don't think I'll re-read)

Bri Lee navigates the complexities of working in the legal system while coming to terms with her own abuse as a child. I’d really been looking forward to this one but it didn’t quite land with me as much as I’d hoped.

In Who Gets To Be Smart, Bri Lee explores the relationship between education, privilege, power and knowledge.

“Knowledge is power, and when powerful people are allowed to shape knowledge and restrict access to knowledge, they are able to consolidate and strengthen their hold on that power.”

Lee’s focus is primarily on the gatekeepers of educational access and success in Australia, and their role in determining who gets to be ‘smart’, rather than the contribution of raw intelligence to the equation. The majority of Lee’s observations about the ways in which knowledge is controlled by those with privilege and power seem obvious to me so I don’t feel the book offered me much personally in the way of unique insight, though I’m sure there are some who have never considered the correlation.

It seemed to me that Lee occasionally followed paths that didn’t really connect to the central premise. There were relevant topics I felt Lee didn’t acknowledge such as Australia’s secondary and tertiary scholarship options, and I think the HECS-HELP and VET schemes merited more discussion.

Lee’s own anecdotes and asides keeps Who Gets To Be Smart from being dry. Her research seems sound, and the information is presented in an accessible manner.

I found Who Gets To Be Smart to be an interesting read, I hope it sparks discussion about inequality in educational access and success that will lead to change.

The author tells the story of her first job as an Judges Associate to a circuit judge, and how she constantly saw defendants whom were probably guilty being found not guilty due to the unfairness of the justice system, alongside the story of her own courage to seek justice for an assault done to her when she was a child.

Well written, and very interesting.

Insightful and moving. Absolutely nails the pace. The tension stretches you onto the next page. Also gets the reveal plotted perfectly. I really liked it (even if I ended up wanting to apologise for the whole of the male gender).

I devoured this book in two sittings, Bri's story is a powerful one, one that will stay with me for a long time. I really do emplore you all to read it, her message is so very, very important.

In this searingly honest and revealing memoir, Bri Lee shares her personal journey as she pursues justice after reporting a childhood sexual assault.

After graduating from the University of Queensland with a degree in law, Bri is one of the lucky few to gain a year long position as an associate for a District Judge. The position involves the pair traveling between Brisbane and regional areas of Queensland to adjudicate cases in courts who do not have a full time Judge. Bri is excited for the opportunity, but with each case becomes increasingly disillusioned by the justice system which seems to be particularly weighted against women and children who are victims of sexual violence. The victims experiences resonate with Bri because she was molested as a child by a friend of her older brother.

Bri had never felt able to reveal the abuse, instead filtering her emotional pain and confusion through cutting, bulimia, and self-loathing, which increased during her time as an Associate. Despite witnessing the repeated failures of the system, Bri is infused with the courage to finally report her experience, in part recognising the advantages she holds as a complainant, a privilege she relates to the Eggshell Skull doctrine.

I’ve seen some criticism levelled at this book because of that privilege, however none of it negates her experience as a victim, or a survivor. Bri’s journey is intensely personal, as it is for all those who experience sexual violence, but she is in an unique position to highlight the justice system’s flaws and inequities, not only in relation to her own case, but also how that might translate into the cases of others.

I found Eggshell Skull compelling reading that stirred a range of emotions from fury, to despair, to hope, and admiration, and everything in between. There is still so much fighting to do.

“In Queensland an estimated 30,000 sexual assaults occur each year, yet in 2017, just 4751 sex crimes were officially reported to police. Around half that number proceeded to trial (2446 cases) but of them, only 835 resulted in a guilty verdict. Of the 835 perpetrators found guilty of sex offences in Queensland in 2017, roughly half — 44 per cent — were released straight back on to the streets with a mere slap on the wrist, such as a fine, a community service order or a suspended sentence....Perpetrators who did go to jail also received very brief sentences.” - Queensland is Australia’s worst state for sexual abuse survivors to find justice - Nina Funnell, News.com.au, December 13th 2018

Heartbreaking

Very readable but extremely discomfiting to read

Bravo to Bri Lee for all she survived, and for telling her story, and the stories of the other women contained herein.

This book has triggers aplenty. If you can tolerate them I highly recommend it.