The Stanford Rape trial has garnered millions of people’s attention, especially after this past week when the sentencing of Brock Turner was reported. Judge Aaron Persky gave Brock six months in county jail with five years of probation. To me, as well as, plenty of other people, this sentencing seems entirely too lenient for someone who has been convicted of three felony counts of sexual assault and would’ve continued raping an unconscious woman, if bystanders had not intervened. While the media has continuously been reporting on this story, an interesting aspect of this story is the reaction from the public. There have been countless letters written by people to the victim, who at this time has chosen to remain anonymous. It is on us, the public to take this story and the many other stories that exist and learn how to be responsible bystanders in order to prevent sexual assaults from happening.

I want to start off with a thank you to the two Stanford graduate students that have proved to the world that there are indeed still everyday heroes. Not only did they stop to disrupt the assault but they also ran after Brock in order to prevent him from getting away and held him until the police arrived. Without their brave intervention this case would have had a much different outcome. It is comforting and reassuring to know that there are people who are willing to put themselves at risk to help another. I also give both students a huge amount of credit for stepping in with a situation that didn’t look or seem right, when not many people would. With the seeming increase of sexual assaults on college campuses, we need more people like these two grad students to have the courage to insert themselves in a situation in order to help someone who is in a vulnerable position.

Next, I want to thank Vice President Joe Biden for deciding to write an open letter to the woman he calls “a sexual assault survivor.” He reinforces the need of responsible bystanders, as well as stressing that how we treat sexual assault victims need to change. Their integrity and actions should not be put into question. He states that the wrong questions are being asked, and while the justice system may have spoken, the rest of America will not remain quiet. His letter is very powerful and well written and is something that all should read. The overall message; however, is the strength and dignity that the sexual assault survivor has. She has become, like she stated in her own letter, a lighthouse for all victims.

I do not want to waste words on denouncing both Brock Turner and his father. I will simply say that neither son, nor father are honorable men. A true man would never take advantage of an inebriated and later unconscious woman, nor would a man minimize the damage and pain that a sexual assault survivor by saying that it was only “20 minutes of action.”

As for Judge Aaron Persky, you have absolutely failed at your job. You have minimized the pain and suffering the attacker has caused. Brock has shown absolutely no remorse or acceptance of guilt, yet you have given him an extremely lenient sentence, one that is not at all close to the six years asked by the prosecution. I’m ashamed to know that you represent our justice system, because this is not at all what justice should look like.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to the victim, the survivor of a sexual assault for her bravery. While you have chosen to remain anonymous, thousands of women and men alike will forever be grateful to you for taking a stand. It is not easy to speak out against one’s attacker, especially when we have a society that will sometime put blame on the victim. There is absolutely no circumstance in which it is the victims fault, if there is not clear consent, which means a verbal yes, it is rape. Reading your letter broke my heart that millions of men and women have had to endure the pain and suffering that accompanies the trauma of sexual assault. I absolutely hate that this has happened to you but I greatly admire you for coming forward event though it was not the easiest thing to do. You have become a role model for many women and have provided hope and comfort to many victims. Thank you will never be enough to express the effect you have had on many people’s lives.

The most important thing to take from this case is that it is on us. It is on us as a society to learn how to be responsible bystanders, to step in when a situation feels wrong and to support and believe in those who have been victimized. It is on us to share these stories of strength and survival to friends and family. It is on parents to teach their children what consent means and how to respect one another. It is on students at colleges to intervene when someone is being taken advantage of. And finally, it is on us to keep the conversation going, raise awareness of sexual assault and make a change.