Gaddafi’s Harem
Gaddafi’s Harem by Annick Cojean, published by Grove Press in 2013, presents a harrowing account of the life of Soraya, a young schoolgirl from Sirte whose encounter with Colonel Gaddafi drastically altered her fate. At just fifteen, Soraya’s seemingly innocent meeting with Gaddafi led her into a world of violence and degradation within his compound, where she, along with other young women, faced severe abuse. This edition, comprising 294 pages, delves into the complexities of power and victimization in Libya, shedding light on a narrative that remains largely unspoken.
Readers will find a poignant exploration of Soraya’s experiences, which serve as a gateway to understanding the broader context of Gaddafi’s regime and its impact on women. Cojean’s investigative approach includes interviews with individuals connected to Soraya, as well as other women who endured similar fates, highlighting the societal taboos surrounding sexual violence in Libya. This book not only recounts a personal story but also addresses significant themes in biography, political history, and social science, making it a critical examination of a dark chapter in North African history.
Official synopsis Publisher
Soraya was just fifteen, a schoolgirl in the coastal town of Sirte, when she was given the honor of presenting a bouquet of flowers to Colonel Gaddafi, “the Guide,” on a visit he was making to her school the following week. This one meeting–a presentation of flowers, a pat on the head from Gaddafi–changed Soraya’s life forever. Soon afterwards, she was summoned to Bab al-Azizia, Gaddafi’s palatial compound near Tripoli, where she joined a number of young women who were violently abused, raped and degraded by Gaddafi. Heartwrenchingly tragic but ultimately redemptive, Soraya’s story is the first one of many that are just now beginning to be heard. But sex and rape remain the highest taboo in Libya, and women like Soraya (whose identity is protected by a pseudonym here) risk being disowned or even killed by their dishonored family members. In “Gaddafi’s Harem,” an instant bestseller on publication in France, where it has already sold more than 100,000 copies in hardcover, “Le Monde” special correspondent Annick Cojean gives a voice to Soraya’s story, and supplements her investigation into Gaddafi’s abuses of power through interviews with people who knew Soraya, as well as with other women who were abused by Gaddafi.
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