A RAPE IN A SMALL TOWN: THE FLORENCE HOLWAY STORY

Jeff Chapman skillfully tells a story of unbelievable viciousness and inspiring activism. Florence Holway raised six children in the small town of Alton, New Hampshire. She was a vibrant, eccentric mother, and through example she inspired her children to live life without fear. So when, at age 76, she was brutally attacked and raped by a 25-year-old man who broke into her rural home, she fell to pieces. Twelve years later, she remains sharp and feisty but laments the loss of the person she used to be, "The woman who was raped was able and strong." After the defendant copped a plea bargain with the State, denying Florence the right to tell her story in court, she embarked on a publicity campaign and the national press quickly picked up her story. Despite the disgusting crime committed and the press her story generates, the plea bargain proceeds. Now, with her attacker up for parole, the wounds have been opened once again. This unforgettable story shows how one woman, who is the model of pragmatism, responds to debilitating violence by fighting for her rights. Florence never succumbs to depression, and her tenacity pays off in the form of a statewide registry for sex offenders and increased penalties for sex crimes. A Rape in a Small Town is shocking yet inspiring, and Chapman deftly balances the incredible anguish of rape with an important story of how one women refused to give up.