Karla Homolka: victim or agent? Women, violence and gray zones

This paper is based upon the case of Karla Homolka. Karla's case is problematic. Karla was both a victim and a perpetrator of sexual violence. Despite her seemingly active participation in sexual violence, her agency and her legal culpability remain contested issues. Many have attempted to answer the overarching question: was she a coerced/compliant victim or a culpable perpetrator? This paper will attempt to resolve the tension between her non-agency and her legal responsibility by drawing upon Primo Levi's (1988) concept of 'gray zones'