With the recent backlash pertaining to the Stanford rape case, it is important to understand why this has sparked a massive outrage. For those that haven’t been following the story, a former Stanford University student, Brock Turner, was found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on the school’s campus. The main source of controversy in this case was that Turner was given a short jail sentence of only six months, though he was convicted for three separate felonies: intent to commit rape of an intoxicated/unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person.
Many have agreed that the judge, Aaron Persky, was far too lenient in his sentence, playing on Turner’s white male star athlete background, and forgetting the most important part: that a girl was raped. It’s disheartening to see such a severe, life-altering crime be put on the back burner, which is an issue that has come up again and again.
It’s hard to imagine that lines can get blurred between the ideas of sex and rape. Terms like “consensual sex” can give off a different impression, implying there is such a thing as “nonconsensual sex.” Consensual sex is just sex, and nonconsensual sex should be address by what it truly is, which is rape. These terms suggest that rape is a form of sex, when in reality there should be no comparison. Rape and sex are on two completely opposite ends of the spectrum and should be treated as such.
This case is a prime example of how the severity of rape is undermined, especially within the justice system. Judge Persky showed more worry for the guilty rather than the victim by stating his concern about the influence of a long jail sentence on Turner. He felt that a prison sentence would have a severe impact on the guilty, but isn’t that the point? The victim has already been impacted severely and will live with effects of this crime for the rest of her life, so isn’t it only fair that Turner receives the same? No man or woman who commits a crime should ever be seen as too “innocent” to serve jail time, especially in this case.
The cycle of repeatedly downplaying the gravity of rape needs to be broken. It has become all too familiar to hear of critics blaming victims or trying to justify the actions of the criminals. At the end of the day, rape is never the victim’s fault. It is not illegal to wear revealing clothes. It is not illegal to drink alcohol. Rape is illegal. Referring to it as nonconsensual sex undercuts the real action taking place. Rape is rape, and it is time to start understanding the severity of this crime and taking action accordingly.
