On Wednesday, August 10^th, Austin Wilkerson, a now former Colorado University student who was found guilty of “assaulting a helpless victim and unlawful sexual contact,” was sentenced to two years in jail under work release and 20 years of probation, avoiding prison entirely.

The assault took place on March 15, 2014, the victim being a freshman at the University at that time. The victim, who chooses to remain nameless, was at a party that night when she became intoxicated. Wilkerson assured her friends that he would watch over her and take care of her.

He then took her to his house off campus, and once he and the victim were alone, he “digitally and orally” penetrated her while she was inebriated and unable to consent.

He admitted to assaulting her, and yet Judge Butler awarded him with two years of jail with work release, meaning that he can leave jail in the morning to attend school or work, and return to his county jail at night to complete his sentence.

The judge cited that because the perpetrator showed "remorse" for his actions during trial, he might have a chance for rehabilitation and as such, a much lighter sentence was granted despite the severity and audacity of the crime.

The victim has recently made public, via Huffington Post, the statement she had read aloud during the hearing.

In this statement, she talks in painful detail the impact that this horrendous crime had on her—socially, physiologically, academically and financially.

She talked about the horrible panic attacks she suffers with, especially at night. At times, they are so bad that she feels as if she is dying or suffering a heart attack. She talks about her heightened anxiety--of running into her attacker in public, or of strangers. She talks about how she no longer wants to go outside, out of fear that she may be assaulted again. And it’s devastating, what this perpetrator did to her. He destroyed her life, and he destroyed everything that she found joy in.

The victim had stated at the end of her letter, “The rapist CHOSE to ruin his life. But like the sexual assault itself, my life has been ruined without my consent.”

Why is it that in this judicial process, the weight of the attacker’s remorse outweighed his actual crime? He felt sorry for what he did, so that somehow justifies his actions? That somehow reverses what he did to this woman’s life? He destroyed her, and yet, we should feel sorry for him?

Throughout the investigation, the attacker reportedly changed his story multiple times in order to cover up his crime until finally admitting to it. That, to me, doesn’t sound like a person who is remorseful of his actions. He seemed to have only owned up to the devastation he caused because he wanted a light sentence, and a light sentence was given to him just like that.

The victim also penned in her statement about how she is now a target of victim-blaming.

Let’s get one thing straight, it wasn’t the alcohol that sexually assaulted her or the fitting clothes she might have been wearing, IT WAS HIM. How dare anyone turn around and blame the victim for being raped or sexually abused? How dare anyone even remotely suggest that a victim’s behavior or attire or whatever else may have been the cause of why he or she being sexually violated? Accrediting the rape victim with his or her own rape is why rape culture continues to persist. It is morally wrong on so many levels, and it needs to stop. Normalizing sexual assault is never okay. Getting away with sexual assault is never okay. VICTIM-BLAMING IS NEVER OKAY.

The victim also made note that even one of the jurors on the jury partook in the victim-blaming, asking the victim why she didn’t say “no.” Silence or intoxicated to the point of being unable to give an answer does not mean, by default, “yes.” In every respect, in any circumstance, the victim is at no fault. Wilkerson admitted to sexually assaulting her for Pete’s sake. That is all the evidence anyone needs in placing blame where it belongs.

This case mirrors that of several other cases, one recent one being the Brock Turner case, in which Turner was given a six month sentence in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster.

It is so sad and so sick that these perpetrators are given such light sentences. It is so awful and disgusting. And this all falls into the perpetuation of rape culture.

Numerous studies have indicated that at least 23 percent of college women has experienced “some form of unwanted sexual contact” on college campuses. At this large rate, more emphasis needs to be placed on teaching members of society NOT TO RAPE and what consent means as opposed to teaching members how not to get rape.

Rape culture needs to stop and awareness of unjust cases must be brought to light.