According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, rape is defined as "the unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent."
Let's take a moment and think about that. Where in that definition do you see anything stating that rape becomes null and void if the victim was under the influence of drugs or alcohol? Where do you see anything that says the validity of the victim's claim is negated if they chose to consume alcohol? If you answered "nowhere," congratulations on thinking like a rational human being.
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It makes me sick to my stomach that society continues to promote the idea that there are factors that can make a rapist "less" guilty. The idea of someone not only sexually forcing themselves on someone else, but also receiving a punishment unfit of the crime is in a word...nauseating. There is never any justification for rape, and therefore, a rapist has no one to blame but their self.
However, contrary to my opinion, Stanford University seems to think that hard liquor may to blame for rapes on their campus. While they haven't come out and explicitly said this, it's extremely coincidental that the university decides to ban hard alcohol only two months after the sentencing of swimmer Brock Turner. He was convicted on a charge of intent to commit rape. Intent. Even though he did actually rape the victim, he was only convicted for his intention to rape, landing him a mere six months behind bars.
The night of the assault, both Turner and the victim had consumed alcohol. Even though they both were under the influence of alcohol, the victim was the only one badgered about her alcohol consumption during the trial. In an extremely moving letter that went viral, the victim stated, "After a physical assault, I was assaulted with questions designed to attack me, to say see, her facts don’t line up, she’s out of her mind, she’s practically an alcoholic, she probably wanted to hook up, he’s like an athlete right, they were both drunk, whatever, the hospital stuff she remembers is after the fact, why take it into account."
This is what is wrong with society. A young woman was raped. She most likely will never be the same after having her personal space invaded in such an aggressive and barbaric manner. She is now forced to live everyday of her life with the grotesque emotional and physical scars that now exist as a result of this assault. Brock Turner stole a part of the victim's identity and the fact anyone would dare try to divert the blame in any other direction is ludicrous. Brock Turner made a decision and needs to be held accountable for his actions, as does any rapist.
