THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

Angry, opinionated, mouthy, aggressive, hysterical, mad, disordered, crazy, psycho, delusional, borderline, hormonal . . . Women have long been pathologized, locked up and medicated for not conforming to whichever norms or stereotypes are expected of them in that time and space. Sexy But Psycho is a challenging and uncomfortable book which seeks to explore the way professionals and society at large pathologize and sexualise women and girls.

Utilising decades of research, real case studies and new data from her own work, Dr Taylor's book will critically analyse the way we label women with personality disorders. Why are women and girls pathologized for being angry about oppression and abuse? How have so many women been duped into believing that they are mentally ill, for having normal and natural reactions to their experiences? Sexy But Psycho argues that there is a specific purpose to convincing women and girls that they are mentally ill, as the world avoids addressing violence against women and their centuries of ignored trauma.

Dr Taylor's fierce polemic shows how professionals can pathologise and sexualise women and girls and how misogynistic the medical model can be . . . interesting [with] moments of brilliance . . . * Irish Independent *
Fierce and fearless. * Irish Examiner *
The topics touched on in Sexy But Psycho are wide-ranging, but, for me, the most important message from the book is the vital importance of listening carefully to what women have to say. * Independent *

Dr Jessica Taylor is a Chartered Psychologist, multi-Sunday Times bestselling author, and internationally recognised expert in victimology, trauma, and forensic psychology. Jessica has a PhD in Forensic Psychology from University of Birmingham and in 2019, she was awarded a Fellowship of Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) for her contribution to feminism and psychology. In 2023, she was awarded the Associate Fellowship of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS) to recognise her contribution to the field of psychology. Her first book, Why Women are Blamed for Everything was published with Little, Brown in 2020. Her second book, Sexy But Psycho: Uncovering the psychiatric labelling of women and girls was published in 2022, and became a Sunday Times bestseller. In 2023, Jessica co-authored The Indicative Trauma Impact Manual with Jaimi Shrive, completing the first comprehensive textbook A-Z of trauma responses and coping mechanisms. In 2024, her memoir, Underclass: A Memoir was released, and became her second book to hit the Sunday Times bestseller list. Dr Jessica Taylor appears frequently in the media as a victim psychologist and academic speaker for documentaries such as BBC's Womanhood and ITV's When Nudes are Stolen and Celebrity Health Stories, regular radio, podcasts and TV interviews, as well as the #1 trending Netflix true crime series such as My Lover, My Killer and Meet, Marry, Murder. Jessica has also written numerous op-ed pieces for the Independent and the Guardian. She is a spirited and influential academic utilising social media to share her ideas and views, with half a million followers across her platforms. As CEO of VictimFocus, she leads the organisation's strategic direction, national influence, and international partnerships. Her work spans the development of evidence-based psychological theory, high-impact resources, service frameworks, and consultancy models used across health, justice, education and social care. Jessica specialises in anti-pathology, trauma-informed approaches to understanding and responding to trauma and abuse of women and girls, leading projects and lecture series in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and USA. With a wealth of frontline experience working directly with victims and survivors, Jessica brings a grounded, practice-informed perspective to her research, writing and leadership. A leading voice in the development of trauma-informed, anti-oppressive frameworks for systems and services, she has advised on national policing strategies, government VAWG and mental health policy, and institutional reform in the UK and internationally. Her expertise helps organisations stay ahead of the curve, align with national guidance and inspection standards, and implement meaningful, systemic change. Through her research, writing, and public engagement, she has played a key role in transforming understanding of victim blaming, trauma-informed practice and institutional responses to abuse.