Against My Will

Groomed, trapped and abused. This is my true story of survival.

By: Sophie Crockett, Douglas Wight

Narrated by: Janine Cooper Marshall

‘Asperger’s made me a prisoner in my own home. When I finally entered the real world, evil was waiting.’

A shocking true account of one girl’s harrowing journey to survival.

Sophie Crockett spent most of her childhood suffering from crippling anxiety. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, she became a virtual prisoner in her own home, afraid to venture outside. After battling with depression, eating disorders and self-harm, Sophie had the courage to re-enter society in her late teens.

She was just 17 when she fell prey to ST, a violent bully who exploited her vulnerability and cruelly assumed complete coercive control over her life. He kept Sophie captive and refused to leave her alone; fed her, bathed her, even escorted her to the toilet. Sophie endured countless tirades of mental and physical abuse, kept as his sex slave while he repeatedly threatened to kill her.

She was convinced it was the end. But through her bravery, and with little help from the authorities, Sophie was able to escape.

This is her story.

©2020 Sophie Crockett and Douglas Wight (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Book for educational purposes

I think you had to be really brave to publish this book. Wish people would show this to other neurodiverse girls in order to bring reflection to the problem of emotional manipulation and sexual exploitation. Sex before 18 is ilegal in many places.
But I think the author didn't comment anything more in depth about her ptsd symptoms, nor spoke about the process and challenges of being with someone after trauma. Could have been more deep.

Terrible

I was not at all impressed by this book. I couldn’t believe this child got into this relationship with being as smart as she was. It just kept saying is this how it’s supposed to be, when in fact it wasn’t. I couldn’t even finish this book.

Told from the wrong point of view

This book should not have been written in the first person. The protagonist has way too much insight into the psychological understanding of her own mental illness and infantily explains every step of the thought process behind why she made decisions. This generally is not something that is understood by the person with the mental illness. The narrator also uses a tempo one would use to explain to a five year old how to tie a shoe. I couldn't make it past the first few chapters because the story telling was just too unbelievable and distracting.

Ugh

Redundant. So boring and never got any better. I kept listening thinking it HAD to get better. But no. Don’t waste a credit.

Garbage

I was very interested in learning more about this young person and their struggles and how they overcame them. However, I felt that this was misrepresented. It's not just a story about a child that overcame terrible trauma but it is a a book about an indigo child with a keen sense of entitlement. Obnoxious. Absolutely terrible. I couldn't finish it. Maybe it gets better but I had to stop. to add on top of that the narration is very whiny and the inflection is repetitive. not good.

I cant even finish

I dont want to yell or scream or whatever, I only got to chapter 8 and im sorry but every single person you came into contact with from your parents to the rental guy tried to help you, there are so many kids out there that get no help but everyone tried to help you, and you couldn't let anyone help I cant even whatever this book just made me angry!!!!
and him well he should just be shot in the head!!! he's worthless, but you , well you are an adult and you need to act like one you need to be a big enough person that if you need help ASK FOR HELP!!!!

read well

Great Story of survival. Well read, kept me interested. Loved her letter to ST at the end.

The absolute craziness of this person to constantly stay with this monster!

If you are in any way empathic, this book is NOT for you! The horrendous things this girl does for this creep is just heartbreaking! And not a single person can help her even though she sees people everyday! It's a whole lot to swallow! Yes I understand she has Asperger's. But this girls entire family, her school her drs, all let her down. So hard for me to comprehend! But the final straw for me was the horrendous cruelty to a poor defenseless puppy! Why didn't she know that this man would mutilate her poor puppy?! It just kills me! I couldn't finish the book! There was no warning about the cruelty to animals! I NEVER would have purchased it! It's very traumatizing! Thanks a lot!