Winnie M Li

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Winnie M Li is an American writer, novelist and activist.

Li's first novel, Dark Chapter, released in 2017, was based on her own experience of a stranger rape in 2008.[1]

Early life and education[]

Winnie Li was born in New Haven, Connecticut to Taiwanese immigrants. Her family lived in Pennsylvania before settling in Wayne, New Jersey. After graduating from high school, she attended Harvard University where she majored in Folklore and Mythology. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard, she moved to Cork, Ireland, to pursue an MA in English at National University of Ireland, Cork.[2] In 2000 Li was selected in the inaugural class of George Mitchell Scholars.[3]

Rape[]

In April 2008 Li was raped by a 15 year old boy in Colin Glen Forest Park in Belfast. Li was in Belfast to attend a conference to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Northern Ireland peace process. Li suffered 39 separate injuries from the assault.[4] The case caused outcry in Belfast and received national media attention.[5] A community vigil was held in the park a week after the assault.[6] The perpetrator was arrested and ultimately convicted.[7]

Writing and activism[]

In the aftermath of the assault Li began writing about her experience. Li contributed an essay about her assault to the book Sushi and Tapas in 2011.[8] Li wrote several articles for the Huffington Post starting in 2014 on her assault and broader themes of sexual violence.[9] In 2015 Li co-founded the Clear Lines Festival, addressing themes of sexual assault and consent through the arts and discussion.[10][11] Li regularly appears on BBC and Sky News commenting on themes of sexual abuse and violence.[12][13][14][15] Li has also had featured interviews in The Guardian, The Times, The Irish Times, The Irish Examiner, The LA Review of Books and Ms Magazine.[16][17][18][19][20] In 2018, Li received an honorary doctorate from the National University of Ireland for her contribution to the arts in the advocacy of women's rights.[21]

Li's writings have appeared in a variety of magazines and newspapers including The Guardian, The Times, The Mail on Sunday, The Stylist and The Huffington Post.[22][23][24][25]

Dark Chapter[]

In 2017 Li published her first novel Dark Chapter, a fictionalised account of the rape written from the perspective of both the victim and perpetrator. The book won the Guardian newspaper's Not the Booker Prize in 2017.[26] Dark Chapter was also nominated for The Edgar Award for best first novel and shortlisted for The Authors' Club Best first novel award.[27] The book has been translated into ten languages.[28]

References[]

  1. ^ Li, Winnie M (September 2017). Dark Chapter (First ed.). New Jersey: Polis Books. p. 341. ISBN 9781943818624. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Phi Beta Kappa Members". Harvard University. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  3. ^ "I am Selected as a Mitchell Scholar, Now What?". US-Ireland Alliance. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  4. ^ McCurry, Cate. "Tourist raped by teen during trip to Northern Ireland tells how she has made it her life's work to support other victims of sex crime". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Woman attacked and raped in park". BBC. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  6. ^ "West Belfast Rape Vigil Held". 4NInews. 21 April 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Young rapist is jailed for attack on US tourist". Belfast Telegraph. 9 May 2009. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Woman speaks about her rape ordeal in Colin Glen Forest Park in Belfast". BBC. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  9. ^ Li, Winnie. "Profile at the Huffington Post". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  10. ^ Brown, Sophie (9 July 2015). "London Festival Clear Lines Promising To Open Up Sexual Assault Debate Exceeds Crowdfunding Target". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  11. ^ Hussein, Sara (10 July 2015). "'You can't have a comedy about rape?' Lambeth Clear Lines Festival breaks the silence on sexual assault". SW Londoner. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Recovery After Rape". Four Thought. BBC. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  13. ^ "The Conversation". BBC World Service. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Woman's Hour". Woman's Hour. BBC. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  15. ^ Paterson, Niall (23 May 2019). "Divided". Sky News. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  16. ^ Tickle, Louise (31 July 2017). "'I fell between the cracks': author Winnie M Li on how rape survivors are failed by the system". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  17. ^ Li, Winnie (29 June 2017). "I was raped by a 15-year-old boy". The Times. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  18. ^ McKay, Susan (26 September 2015). "'Dark Chapter': my rape, regrowth and recovery". The Irish Times. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  19. ^ Young, Lauren (17 April 2017). "Out of the Darkness: A Conversation with Winnie M. Li". The Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  20. ^ Nelson, Elizabeth (14 June 2018). "Dark Chapter: Why Winnie M. Li Wrote About Rape". Ms Magazine. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Press Release - NUI Honorary Conferring Ceremony 2018". National University of Ireland.
  22. ^ Li, Winnie. "Profile". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  23. ^ Li, Winnie. "I was raped by a 15-year-old boy". The Times. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  24. ^ Li, Winnie. "A message to everyone who dares to say women shouldn't travel alone". The Stylist. The Stylist. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  25. ^ Li, Winnie. "Profile at Huffington Post". Huffington Post. Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  26. ^ "Not the Booker prize 2017: Dark Chapter by Winnie M Li wins". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  27. ^ "Dark Chapter". Polis Books. Polis Books. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  28. ^ "Editions of Dark Chapter". Goodreads. Goodreads. Retrieved 16 March 2020.

External links[]

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