Credible

In this landmark book, a former prosecutor, legal expert, and leading authority on sexual violence examines why allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse are often not believed—and why we live in a nation that is both culturally and legally structured to doubt and dismiss accusers.

Sexual misconduct accusations rest on opposing viewpoints: her word against his. How do we decide who is telling the truth? The answer comes down to credibility. But as this eye-opening book reveals, deciding which side to believe isn't as straightforward as it seems. Our judgment is complicated by invisible forces—false assumptions and hidden biases imbedded in our culture, our legal system, and our psyches—that create blind spots impairing our ability to accurately hear and respond fairly.

In Credible, Deborah Tuerkheimer provides a much-needed framework to help us better understand credibility, explaining how we perceive it, how and why our...