North Country - a movie about rape and sexual harassment

Original Poster

In 1989, Josey (played in the movieNorth Country by Charlize Theron) rescues herself and her two children, Sam and Karen, after being brutally beaten by her husband. She goes to her parents' home in a small mining town in Northern Minnesota. Her father is disgusted with her and still ashamed after she became pregnant at age 16 and he called her a whore as did the town. Because of her past reputation, Josey is not accepted by the townspeople. She gets a job as a hairdresser until she meets the Dodges who befriend her. The wife, Glory, works at the iron mines and she assists Josey in getting a job there also. They also take Josey and her children in because Josey's father makes it unbearable for her to live at home. He also works at the mine.

Josey makes friends with the other female workers, but she soon becomes the target of sexual harassment from some of the men. Josey reports the abuse to management which results in all the women being sexually harassed. Josie has an especially difficult time with a former boyfriend who is always harassing her. She is made to do things that others don't have to do - even things that are endangering to her life.

Josey refuses to give in to the harassment, but the men just spread lies about her and even make it more difficult for her at the mines.  Her father continues to believe the worst of Josey and even her son begins to believe the lies as well as the men's wives. After one vicious assault by her former boyfriend, Josie tries to report it to management but the board of directors refuses to hear her complaints about the way women are treated at the mine. Totally dejected, she quits even though she needs the job to get her independence. She asks a lawyer friend to help her bring a suit against the company. At first he refuses, but then relents and requests she get the other women to back up her accusations in court. Josie visits the women to gain their approval, but they are too afraid of risking their jobs and refuse.

Her father, once again, is upset with her. Her mother, however, brings her money because Josey is no longer employed. Josey doesn't give up, however, and the court case begins. During the trial, she tells of how her favorite high school teacher raped her when she was 16. She had never told anyone, and everyone just thought she was promiscuous--especially her father. However, he does a turnabout when he hears the truth and tries to beat up the teacher in the court room. Her former boyfriend lies in court and says the assault never took place. After severe questioning by her attorney, Bobby finally gives in and tells the truth that he heard Josey screaming and saw through the window in the door what was happening, but he just left. He asked: What could I do?

Josey's one friend she has lived with has Lou Gehrig's Disease and is dying. She comes to court and defends Josie. Then other women stand up in support of her and she has the 3 women that she needs for a class action. Many others stand up for her including her father and mother and several men and women.

The mining company loses the case and is forced to make financial amends. Josey's son also becomes supportive after Josey explains to him how she felt at age 16 after being raped and then finding herself pregnant. No one knew the truth, and she was labeled a whore and promiscuous. She wanted to die and didn't want to be pregnant. Then one night she describes feeling a butterfly reaction in her stomach and she realized that this was HER baby not the teacher's. And from that moment on, he was her son. It is a touching scene as she describes her feelings and how she loves him. They embrace.

On the way home from the court case, Josey teaches her son how to drive the truck. So it all ends on a good note.

The sad thing is that Josey had no one to go to for support when she found herself pregnant after a rape by someone she trusted. She lived a life of hell trying to make a life for herself and her son. She was labeled and blamed and called horrible names - none of which was true. At age 16, she didn't know how to stick up for herself. She must have felt so alone and helpless. Where was the support of family, society, school, church when she needed them so desperately? It's too often the case with rape and sexual harassment. But Josey didn't take it all lying down when she was older and wiser. She stood up for herself. She owned her voice and her power and took charge and got the results that she so much deserved. It's difficult to believe that even a parent would not stand up for his child. But I could relate because I didn't feel support from the family or church either. I felt chastised, ashamed, and like I was so bad and would surely go to hell. I used to wish I could be disintegrated so I wouldn't have to feel. It all felt so hopeless. Thank goodness there is more support and more people being vocal for those who have been abused and harassed. I often wished the perpetrators had just killed me instead of just molesting me. I would have been better off.