On January 17, 2016, Stanford University student Brock Turner was caught–in the act–of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. Two graduate students on bikes happened by a dumpster where they saw Turner on top of his victim’s unconscious body; he was “humping” her at the time. Turner ran, but the graduate students tackled him and called the police. The police arrived to find an unconscious, half-naked woman on the ground behind a dumpster.
Details of this case made public included that Turner stripped his victim, fondled her, inserted objects and pine needles into her vagina and attempted to rape her. When the victim woke up, she was on a gurney in a hospital. She found her underwear gone, pine needles inserted in her, abrasions on her body and was informed she had to endure a forensic rape exam. The unidentified victim would spend the next year trying to get the case to go to trial. One difficulty was that, apparently, if you’re unconscious at the time of the assault, it’s difficult to prove whether or not there was consent. Another is that the only account available is the perpetrator’s — as filtered through his lawyer. Thank God for those two graduate students.
Turner, reportedly stated while being questioned by the police, that his victim “liked it.” She . . . ”LIKED IT.” Apparently Turner believes that he’s so special that any woman would love to have him rip her underwear off, put her on the ground by a dumpster and insert pine needles inside her as she lies there passed out. Sure, who wouldn’t like that? After all, as the press endlessly reminded us — he’s a star Stanford athlete, an Olympic swimming hopeful; what woman wouldn’t like to have him sexually assault her?
Brock Turner was found guilty of the intent to commit rape of an intoxicated/unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person, and penetration of an unconscious person. He was sentenced to a 6-month jail term and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life—because, well, because he is one. In response to the unusually light sentence of six months in jail (not prison) with parole, Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky said that Turner’s age and lack of criminal history made him feel that imposing a six-month jail sentence with probation was appropriate. “A prison sentence would have a severe impact on him,” Persky said. “I think he will not be a danger to others.” http://www.kcci.com/national/outrage-over-sixmonth-sentence-in-stanford-rape-case/39927012
“Not a danger to others?” Does Judge Persky mean Turner is not a danger to men or that sexual assault isn’t that big a deal for women? Does he mean that rape and sexual assault are not really violent or “dangerous” acts? Does he view sexual assault the same as sex? Does he think the almighty penis always feels good to women—is he of the “she wanted it” mentality? Perhaps he means that, “the 20 minutes of action out of Brock Turner’s 20 years of life” (words written by Dan Turner, Brock’s father, in his leniency request to the judge) does not make him dangerous? Had he murdered someone in 15 minutes, would that also not make him dangerous? Had he robbed someone in five minutes, would he not be a danger? I’m at a loss to understand how any judge could say this man is not a danger. He has proved that he is. He was sexually assaulting a woman behind a dumpster. And she was UNCONSCIOUS.
The concept of a “rape culture,” has been deemed by some as feminist “hysteria.” Here is one brave man’s writing on the topic of rape culture: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zaron-burnett/guide-to-rape-culture_b_5440553.html
According to Burnett and others, characteristics of a rape culture include:
• Victims being blamed for being raped.
• Victims being questioned about what they wore, what they drank and what their history is.
• Trivializing sexual assault — “She wanted it,” and “Boys will be boys.”
• The encouragement of males to be “players.”
• The acceptance of sexually explicit jokes, frequent ogling of women and girls, and the normalizing of crude comments made about female body parts.
• And much more . . .
Judge Aaron Persky’s 6-month sentencing and subsequent comment that this rapist is “not a danger to others” is a prime example of rape culture on fire. Dan Turner’s leniency plea statement that “A long sentence would be a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action out of his 20 years of life,” is an example of rape culture. Those “20 minutes of action” weren’t simply “action”—they were torture inflicted on an unconscious woman that would have continued far beyond 20 minutes had he not been stopped by passers-by. The fact that this case might never have gone to trial because the victim was unconscious—even with two witnesses who stopped the crime in progress—is the result of a rape culture.
In order to change the culture, we first have to acknowledge it exists. To all the men and women who have spoken out against this travesty—your voices are vital to changing this culture. Continue to speak out. The victim’s powerful 12-page victim’s impact statement has been read and heard around the world. Read it here and send it to everyone you know (http://tinyurl.com/zcwpxzq). Her statement is a powerful force for all victims of rape and sexual assault. It is a graphic revelation of what sexual assault is and how it rips apart lives.
A rapist’s fame, looks, athletic ability, money and seemingly kind disposition does not make rape or sexual assault less devastating, more tolerable or less painful. These are a lawyer’s attempt to divert jurists’ minds. Rape is more violent and debilitating than burglary, robbery, car-jackings, embezzlement, physical assault and countless other crimes. Until we stop minimizing rape, it will continue to enter the homes and lives of all our families. Admonish the sexual comments made with carelessness among men, women, boys and girls. Stop normalizing the supposed “compliments” made to women about their “tits and ass;”they’re not compliments and they don’t feel good. Don’t blame victims of sex crimes for what they wear, what they drink or their past. There are countless men who would never rape a woman, even if she was butt naked and passed out drunk. Let’s raise the bar on our expectations of the men in our world. And for those of you who are pulled to say women and girls should change the way they act, remember that 99% of rapes are committed by men on women AND on other men. Let’s start by holding men accountable, and not trying to make this an equal opportunity offense—it’s not.