What are we afraid to talk about? In the Winter 2018 edition of Index on Censorship magazine, we explore taboos surrounding birth, marriage and death around the world. Author Jieun Baek reveals the difficulties of obtaining interviews with North Korean defectors; Sharon Thompson, senior lecturer at Cardiff Law School, talks gold diggers and prenups; Columnist for The Times Edward Lucas discusses distress purchases; and journalist Irene Caselli lifts the lid on why young women are afraid to talk about contraception and abortion in some Latin American countries.