This is reflective of a sentiment still existing today, that it is the victims fault that they were raped and not the person who rapes.

Feeling powerless, people will do everything they can to prevent it from happening to themselves, whether it is by always surrounding themselves with people, moving around in populated areas, carrying weapons with you, making yourself a less desirable target by losing your virginity before the “recruitment” event, or getting married to be exempt from “recruitment”. Underneath the calm is a very real fear that you or someone you know is going to get sexually assaulted. In the setting of this novel, sexual assault is everywhere and on every one’s mind. Yes, this book explores a dystopian future stemming from rape culture, but it also challenges other modern problems, such as sexism against both genders as well as the double standards that exist in today’s world.īelow, I will explore the major themes that are brought up in this novel.

When someone is raped, some people say, “Well, maybe they shouldn’t have been walking outside so late at night”, “Why didn’t they just keep their legs closed?”, “You’re a man, and therefore, you can’t technically get raped.” It has evolved from George Orwell’s “1984”, where government surveillance invades the lives of ordinary citizens and from Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”, where the rapid advancement of technology is not all gold, to a dystopian future propagating from the rape culture that is woven into our societies and taught to us from a young age. The V Girl is one such book and when I read it, I am put under the impression that fictional dystopia has evolved. The beauty of books, come from their ability to reflect the times-once printed, they become a time capsule reflecting popular trends, common fears, and collective sentiments.

The V Girl by Mya Robarts