You cannot go a day without seeing the image of Brock Turner, whether it be his actual mugshot or his suit and tie, cleaned up one. There is an uproar about the minuscule sentencing of 6 months in a county jail and then probation. While there should be anger within the public, people need to realize how often sexual offenses go unnoticed.
Here are some stats according to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest Network):
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It is more common than people perceive it to be. Every 2 minutes, an American is sexually assaulted. Women and girls experience sexual assault at alarming rates, with 1 out of every 6 women being a victim of either attempted or completed rape. Men are also affected with 1 in 33 men experiencing attempted or completed rape. Transgender students are at a high risk of experiencing sexual assault, with 21% transgender college students being affected versus 10% of non-transgendered females and 4% non-transgendered males. Not only do every day pedestrians experience this, but also inmates and military personnel.
The scary part. The majority of sexual assault victims are between the ages of 18 and 34, and by majority, that means 54%.
So if it happens so often, how many people who sexually assault another person are actually convicted and sentenced? Not that many. Out of every 1,000 cases of rape, only 13 of them make it to being referred to a prosecutor, and only 7 will lead to felony conviction. How is that possible?
It is a state's decision whether or not to press criminal charges. If the law enforcement or the prosecutor feel that they cannot prove someone is guilty, they may decide not to press charges. That means they may have come across challenges proving the case due to a lack of evidence, an inability to identify the perpetrator, or other factors. However, if the state decides to press charges, there are different options on how the sentencing works. Either there is a plea bargain which usually results in a lighter sentencing and the survivor does not testify, or it can go to a criminal court where the survivor is asked to testify.
So what can be done to help?
First off, be aware that sexual assault is common on all college campuses, as well as other places in daily life. On a college campus, there are multiple ways to prevent and protect. One is knowing your resources on campus, whether that be campus safety, the health center, or a club on campus that uses peer education to talk about difficult subjects such as sexual assault. Be alert and aware of your surroundings. Maybe bring a friend with you or ask for a campus safety escort. This can also include watching what you drink. Having an eye on your drink the entire time you are out is very important when preventing people from adding something to your drink. Also, drink responsibly. While you should be able to go out and have a good time, sometimes knowing your limit is a good thing for many different reasons.
Rape culture is something that needs to be changed. Victim blaming needs to come to an end, and there needs to be a stand against sexual assault. So keep talking about it. Having a conversation about sexual assault is the only way awareness will be brought to light. Putting it off to the back burner once this Brock Turner trial is all said and done is not going to change anything. Putting pressure on states to press charges, and encouraging survivors (note: not victims) to report their cases is going to help. Being a good friend and support to survivors is going to help as well. Take a stand. Find out how you can help on your own campus and be your own advocate.
