Notes on a Silencing by Lacy Crawford Summary

Notes on a Silencing is a memoir by Lacy Crawford that recounts her sexual assault at 15 by two seniors at St. Paul’s School, an elite New England boarding school, and the institution’s systemic efforts to bury the incident. It examines how privilege, gender, and power dynamics enabled a culture of silencing victims to protect the school’s reputation. Crawford interweaves personal trauma with broader critiques of systemic injustice.

This memoir is essential for readers interested in #MeToo narratives, institutional accountability, and memoirs that blend personal trauma with societal critique. It resonates with advocates for survivors of sexual violence and those examining power structures in elite institutions. Critics praise its literary depth, making it suitable for fans of investigative nonfiction.

Yes. The book was named a New York Times Notable Book and a Best Book of 2020 by Time, NPR, and others. Crawford’s unflinching prose and meticulous documentation of institutional gaslighting offer both a personal reckoning and a broader societal indictment. Its tension-filled narrative has been compared to a psychological thriller.

Lacy Crawford is an author, journalist, and advocate whose work includes the satire Early Decision (2013) and this memoir. A Princeton graduate, she worked as a rape crisis counselor and teacher before writing. Her experiences at St. Paul’s School and mentorship by Toni Morrison shaped her focus on trauma and voice.

The memoir details St. Paul’s prioritization of reputation over student safety, showcasing how faculty, doctors, and administrators colluded to discredit Crawford and protect her attackers. This microcosm reflects broader societal failures to hold powerful institutions accountable. Crawford’s case file, reopened decades later, reveals deliberate suppression of evidence.

Crawford highlights patriarchal norms that vilified her as a “slut” while her attackers graduated with honors. The book critiques double standards in sexual violence narratives and the cultural mechanisms that normalize victim-blaming. Her experience underscores how gender hierarchies in elite spaces perpetuate systemic abuse.

As a former rape crisis counselor, Crawford combines personal testimony with analytical rigor. Her literary training (honed under Toni Morrison) infuses the memoir with lyrical precision and psychological depth. The result balances raw emotion with forensic examination of institutional records.

Some readers find its graphic descriptions of assault and medical trauma intensely unsettling. Others note its narrow focus on elite institutions may limit broader applicability, though Crawford argues these spaces amplify societal power imbalances. Critically, it’s praised for its courage and craftsmanship.

Like Chanel Miller’s Know My Name, Crawford’s memoir merges personal narrative with systemic critique, but it uniquely dissects institutional complicity in silencing survivors. Its focus on elite education distinguishes it from narratives centered on workplace or familial abuse.

The book contributed to renewed scrutiny of St. Paul’s and similar schools, coinciding with independent investigations into decades of abuse cover-ups. It sparks dialogue about reforming cultures of privilege that shield perpetrators. Crawford’s testimony is cited in debates on trauma-informed institutional policies.

Crawford employs a hybrid style—part memoir, part investigative journalism—with taut, literary prose. She alternates between the voice of her teenage self and adult reflections, creating a nuanced exploration of memory and trauma. The result is both visceral and intellectually rigorous.

Crawford reconstructs her assault using medical records, legal documents, and correspondence uncovered during a 2017 criminal reinvestigation. These revelations confirm the school’s orchestrated silencing, contradicting decades of gaslighting. Her methodical approach mirrors true crime, offering irrefutable proof of institutional betrayal.