Staunch Book Prize

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Staunch Book Prize is a British award for thriller novels that do not include violence against women. It was started in 2018 by Bridget Lawless, a writer and screenwriter, after she noticed rape and other violence against women being used as plots in BAFTA-nominated films. The prize aims to encourage stories where women are not beaten, stalked, sexually exploited, raped or murdered.

What the prize is and how it works:
- It accepts traditionally published, self-published, and not-yet-published works.
- The winner receives £2,000, funded by Lawless; entry fee is £20.
- The winner is announced on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

History and results:
- The prize was suspended for 2021 and was planned to return in 2022, but in 2022 the Staunch Book Prize closed.

What people think:
- Some writers call the prize censorship or a gag order, arguing it silences real victims’ experiences.
- Others say it highlights a trend of using brutal violence against women as easy plot devices and sparks important discussion.
- Supporters argue the prize fights lazy storytelling. The first winner, Jock Serong, said it challenges the habit of making women default victims.
- The debate is seen by some as helping draw attention to violence against women in fiction.