If you've been paying attention to the news this week, then you've heard about Brock Turner and his rather embarrassing sentencing for the rape of a young, unconscious woman. This case is disheartening for many reasons: the judge who oversaw the case gave Turner the lenient sentence of six months in prison, the victim in the case has been seemingly disregarded in the legal mix of things in favor of Turner's well-being, and Turner's father has tried to victimize his son in order to gain sympathy. All of these things are completely unjust and prove that rape culture is alive and well in this society.
The short sentence of six months has sparked widespread backlash for both Turner and Judge Persky who gave the sentence. Many are outraged that the rapist got such a short sentence for such a heinous crime. The judge ruled in favor of Turner, stating that a longer sentence "would have a severe impact on him." To be clear, Turner was tried and convicted of three felonies for the assault of an unconscious woman. She was not able to consent or even defend herself against him. According to California Law, the minimum sentence for rape is three to eight years. So the measly six months that Judge Persky ruled is kind of a slap in the face to not only Turner's victim but victims and survivors everywhere.
Many have argued that privilege was the reason for the leniency of Turner's sentence. He is a young, white male who happens to be a good athlete. To be honest the evidence here is pretty damning because, in similar cases where the accused is a minority, they usually receive the maximum sentence.
Turner's father spoke out in an attempt to humanize his son, but only enraged the public more by suggesting that his son doesn't deserve to be punished so harshly for only "20 minutes of action."
The problem here, and with this case as a whole, is that it shines a huge spotlight on some of the issues that are most pressing in society today. When a father doesn't think his son should be punished for physically violating someone who had no say and no defense in the matter, it makes you question what fathers are teaching their sons these days. Why aren't more men teaching their sons not to rape and to respect women the way the way they're taught to respect other men? The argument "he was drunk" is an invalid one because even a drunk person should have the human decency not to violate another person.
The fact that the victim of Turner's "20 minutes of action" has to live with the trauma of what happened to her for the rest of her life while he can walk free before the year ends, is disgusting. There is never any excuse for rape or any other sex crime. Consent is mandatory and if the person does not or is not able to consent, then you don't touch them. Period.
Although the actions of Turner and the decision of the Judge expose the broken parts in our justice system, many have come forward in solidarity with the victim, among them, Vice President Joe Biden. It goes to show that for all the evil and injustice in our society, there is still a world of good to fight it.
