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South of Forgiveness

A True Story of Rape and Responsibility

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South of Forgiveness

By: Thordis Elva, Tom Stranger
Narrated by: Tom Bromhead, Tavia Gilbert
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About this listen

One ordinary spring morning in Reykjavik, Iceland, Thordis Elva kisses her son and partner good-bye before boarding a plane to do a remarkable thing: fly 7,000 miles to South Africa to confront the man who raped her when she was just 16. Meanwhile, in Sydney, Australia, Tom Stranger nervously embarks on an equally life-changing journey to meet Thordis, wondering whether he is worthy of this milestone.

After exchanging hundreds of searingly honest emails over eight years, Thordis and Tom decided it was time to speak face to face. Coming from opposite sides of the globe, they meet in the middle, in Cape Town, South Africa, a country that is no stranger to violence and the healing power of forgiveness.

South of Forgiveness is an unprecedented collaboration between a survivor and a perpetrator, each equally committed to exploring the darkest moment of their lives. It is a true story about being bent but not broken, facing fear with courage, and finding hope even in the most wounded of places. Personable, accessible, and compelling, South of Forgiveness is an intense and refreshing look at gendered violence, rape culture, personal responsibility, and the effect that patriarchal cultures have on both men and women.

Contains mature themes.

©2017 Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger (P)2017 Tantor
Activists Sexual Abuse & Harassment

Critic Reviews

“The essence of their cause: removing the burden and shame of rape and sexual violence from victim's shoulders and placing it squarely onto the shoulders of those who commit it the most.” ( The Huffington Post)

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An important book

Congratulations to both Thordis and Tom on being able to forgive and own our mistakes. This story is so commendable in so many ways and should be mandatory text in schools.

One gripe with the audiobook. Why oh why did you not use the male narrator to do his dialogue instead of Tavia doing a poor Australian accent.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.