By now almost everyone has heard about the disturbing sentencing of Brock Turner, the 20-year-old Stanford student who was found to be thrusting his body on top of an unconscious female last January. If you live under a rock and don’t know what I’m talking about – homeboy got convicted of three counts of sexual assault, with his punishment being 6 months in county jail and probation.
As of today, there is a petition out there calling for signatures to remove Judge Aaron Persky, the judge who sat in on the case. The 150,000 petition, currently has over 110,000 signatures. Feel free to join the fight and sign it here.
*Note: I first opened this petition to see around 113,000 signatures, I have since looked back, about two hours later and it has over 145,000. think this alone shows the disgust across America in this case. *
Now, I know what some people are thinking. This kind of uproar has not happened with other on campus rape cases recently- why should we be so involved in this one. Well, that’s because the mere slap on the wrist sentencing came from the fact that Judge Persky thought more jail time would have a ‘severe impact’ on Turner.
Let’s dig into those three issues:
1. Profiling
Throughout the entire case and in many articles following Turner is praised for his athletic ability. He has been referred to in many headlines as a Stanford Swimmer, rather than called a rapist. In one article posted shortly after the event in January of 2015, the author posts his swim times. HIS SWIM TIMES UNDER AN ARTICLE ABOUT HIM SEXUALLY ASSAULTING SOMEONE. How fair is that? Why are we praising and making this seem okay because he was talented? Why was he constantly called a D1 athlete and not a rapist? He needs to be referred to as what he is, a rapist, a registered sex offender. Call him that, not an athlete.
2. Support
I can only imagine what his family has gone through. It must be horrifying to have a son or brother be in this situation. Yet, if the facts are there, do not try to defend them. Do not try to make it seem like it was something casual. His father, Dan Turner, had the NERVE to call it “20 minutes of action”. I don’t think the victim would call it ‘action’ sir. You can stand by your child without sounding like an idiot, which is what Dan Turner is doing. He, along with the media, is trying to portray Brock as the All-American boy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, rather than letting the evidence and the eyewitnesses tell their story. The story that proves Brock to be guilty of sexual assaults.
3. Excuses
Along with the victim, Brock came out with his own statement. In his statement he blames alcohol and how he wants to teach college students the dangers of alcohol and sexual promiscuity. Well, I’ll admit to drinking too much alcohol before but I’ve never once tried to rape an unconscious person. I’ve never tried to forcefully perform sexual acts upon someone with no consent. Alcohol isn’t the issue here and this is a lame ass excuse for committing a crime. Hundreds, I’m sure even millions of college-aged students have drank more alcohol then they should have and NOT committed sexual assaults on another human being. It’s not hard to not be a dick when you’re drunk. If you wouldn’t do it sober, don’t do it drunk.
We are living in a very sad world right now. Cases like this are why people don’t report sexual assault. Cases like this are why these issues are getting swept under the rug. This is not okay.
We live in a world where the title of a person makes a difference in their sentencing. Where color of skin makes a difference in the sentencing. We live in a world where schools don’t report sexual assault and rape because it will affect the students wanting to apply. It will push away money.. I mean students as parents want their children SAFE and not want to have to worry about their child being sexually assaulted while on campus.
A Caucasian, D1 Athlete from Stanford got away with raping another person. That’s all you really need to know seeing as that is what got him 6 months in jail and probation. He got a soft punishment because of who he is, he was not punished on what he did which just makes this case one big slap in the face to not only the victim but to every rape survivor out there.
Another situation where I pray this instance does not make those who have been hurt come forward and tell someone. If you think no one else will listen, tell me. I will.
Notes from the Author:
If you haven’t already, PLEASE take the time to read the victim’s statement to Brock here. It is so powerful and moving. I applaud her for this.
Also- if you haven’t seen The Hunting Ground, please also to the time to watch this documentary about sexual assault on college campuses. It is a real eye opener to the dangers that students face on campus and how colleges are not protecting them.
