For those of you who don't know, this is the definition of rape stated by the FBI: "Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." There should be no gray area for consent. No means no, no matter how it is said, no matter if it is done physically or verbally, no means no. So why are people able to justify rape?
How can one get away with a crime that forever changes a person’s life? Yes, being a rape victim changes your life. This is not okay.
When victims report the crime they are questioned. “How did you say no?” “Did you say it more than once?” Why should it matter how many times I said no? No means no the first time and the times after that. How did I say it? It shouldn’t matter if my response is “I don’t want to do this,” kicking and pushing the person away, or simply saying no. I didn’t give consent, that’s all that should matter. This is not okay.
I don’t care if he was drunk and not in his right mind, if I said no he committed a crime. If a victim is unconscious or unresponsive they cannot legally consent. If the person keeps going he or she committed a crime. There is no justification for these actions, so why are they getting off the hook for a crime they committed? This is not okay.
No victim should have to fight to prove that the situation they were in was completely wrong. So why do they end up having to? Because the victimizer will try to justify what happened to get out of their "mistake." This is not okay.
It is sickening to think that some of these people don’t see rape as a serious crime. The Stanford swimmer got away with his “20 minutes of action” and only has to serve six months (three with good behavior). His victim has to live with what he did forever. This is not okay.
You cannot make justifications for those who rape. Even if you are friends, have “hooked up” before, or said yes earlier in the night but then changed your mind and said no, if in the end you didn’t give consent, it is not okay.
I am tired of living in a world where I am constantly seeing people not getting the full punishment they deserve. I'm tired of victims feeling it is their fault. It is NOT their fault. You can justify that.
You can't justify rape.
