LONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 MOORE PRIZE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS WRITING Blending the call to action of We
Should All Be Feminists with the journalistic rigor of Masha Gessen “an exquisite feminist
critique of Russia’s oppressive tactics" ( Kirkus Reviews ) revealing how modern Russia’s
history of weaponizing sexual violence plays a crucial role in its current geopolitical
strategy “It’s one of those books that can truly change a reader's life. . . . A powerful
unforgettable read.” — Andrey Kurkov award-winning author of Grey Bees and The Silver Bone
“Thoughtful instructive and deeply harrowing.” —Luke Harding The Guardian On March 22 2023
the Swedish Academy organized a conference on threats to democracy and freedom of expression
featuring a slate of distinguished speakers including Arundhati Roy Timothy Snyder and Sofi
Oksanen. Oksanen’s address—entitled “Putin's War on Women”— would go on to spark such interest
that the acclaimed Finnish writer felt compelled to return to it as the basis for a larger
more in-depth look at Putin’s threat to women. The result is Same River Twice a devastating
book-length essay that incisively builds on the themes and arguments first presented in her
powerful speech. During the Soviet occupation of Estonia Oksanen's great-aunt was arrested and
brutally interrogated overnight. Left permanently traumatized by the experience she would
never speak again. Using her family story as a starting point Oksanen launches an
investigation into the systematic crimes that the Russian government has for nearly a century
committed with impunity. From the Russian military's entry into Berlin in 1945 to its modern
invasion of Ukraine Russia has continually employed violence against women when combatting its
enemies. Life for women in Putin's Russia is little better gender equality is in decline
women are silenced by the legal system and rape is used to humiliate victims especially women
in media. Through Oksanen's sober analysis a disturbing picture emerges: under Putin misogyny
has become foundational to the state’s power. It underpins the current regime serves as a
means of weaving international alliances and forms an essential part of Russia’s ongoing
genocide in Ukraine in turn posing a threat to the rights of women and minorities worldwide.
As threats to democracy grow stronger across the globe the powerful and timely Same River
Twice is a warning that cannot not be ignored. Translated from the Finnish by Owen F. Witesman
