| Injustice
is the story of the young woman who was raped and left
for dead by Fred Many in 1986. At the time she was only
15 years old but, through her courage and determination
to make sure no-one else would be attacked by this man,
she helped bring Fred Many to justice. The personal
cost to herself and her mother was exceptionally high
with both of them having to lose their identities to
enter the Witness Protection Program.
It is an amazing story, simply told. From the first
page on which Kirstyn dedicates the book to her mum,
the reader is with the writer every minute and every
centimetre of the way. And Kirstyn lingers in the
mind long after the last page is turned. What makes
Injustice so readable, so engrossing, is the storyteller's
lack of self-pity. Even where she describes the rape
it is straight forward, non-emotive, and definitely
not calculated to elicit sympathy or shocked reactions
That all the events in the book could happen to one
young girl and that she emerge uncynical and determined
to put it all behind her to get on with the rest of
her life, is a testament to her strength of character
and courage. It is also a testament to the importance
of family support to help one get through exceptionally
difficult circumstances.
One aspect of this story that Iwould like to probe
deeper is the absence of Kirstyn's father at fairly
crucial junctures. Was the father's non-involvement
the result of indifference, or an inability to cope,
or a reluctance to face the situation, or was the
bond between Kirstyn and her mother so strong, so
absorbing that it precluded the father's input? And
how different would this story have been had the father
assumed a stronger role? Putting these ponderings
aside, I found Injustice inspiring and I will never
be able to forget Kirstyn Austin.
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