Let's post her voice instead of his face.
Stanford University.
January 2015.
I'm certain you can fill in the story from here on out; I know I am able to.
Since the perpetrator's conviction in June of this year, articles upon articles have been published surrounding his actions and the problems with his trial. All of these articles include information that those who do not believe justice was served most likely agree with.
Here is a list of some of those things:
The judge was on his side. His parents have money. He is a white male. He is an athlete. He had Olympic aspirations.
All of these things, and others not mentioned, combined to form his three-month jail sentence, something that also created controversy.
Aside from all of this, what else has come out of this situation?
Fame.
As a result of his face being paraded on almost every social platform in existence, the perpetrator is now widely recognized. I'm certain you have all seen his mug shot, with his hair a mess and his eyes red ringed from crying.
The victim on the other hand, has been not been given near the same amount of attention.
The victim of this crime has not been named by a media outlet once throughout this ordeal. Most likely, this is for protection. However, for the duration of my article, she will be known as Emily Doe, a form of identification given to her by one media outlet. I am doing so because I believe that her personhood, as well as her voice, deserves to be recognized.
Emily Doe is praised for her courage to write a letter to the perpetrator, her assailant, and read it at his sentencing. Doe's letter recounts from her own experience what happens when one is sexually assaulted. She shares her journey of sitting in the hospital, speaking to police officers and much more, as well as describing the trauma she deals with each day as a result of what happened to her.
To conclude her letter, Doe delivers a powerful message to girls:
"And finally, to girls everywhere, I am with you. On nights when you feel alone, I am with you. When people doubt you or dismiss you, I am with you. I fought everyday for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you. Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining. Although I can’t save every boat, I hope that by speaking today, you absorbed a small amount of light, a small knowing that you can’t be silenced, a small satisfaction that justice was served, a small assurance that we are getting somewhere, and a big, big knowing that you are important, unquestionably, you are untouchable, you are beautiful, you are to be valued, respected, undeniably, every minute of every day, you are powerful and nobody can take that away from you. To girls everywhere, I am with you. Thank you."
Although these words are powerful, they have not been enough to save Emily Doe from ridicule. There are people who believe that the perpetrator did not rape her, it is all just a misunderstanding. There are others who believe that alcohol is to blame here, not an individual. Included in this is her college of choice, Stanford University. Recently, hard alcohol was banned from their on-campus parties with the belief that constricting this type of alcohol consumption will stop rape. In doing so, Stanford University has stifled Emily Doe's voice, as they have sublimely casted blame on her.
Emily Doe has a voice, one that deserves to be read in every city, town and village across the United States of America. Her voice deserves to be read more than her assailant's face deserves to be seen or his name to be said.
Let's post her voice instead of his face.
The link below is a direct link to Emily Doe's letter, courtesy of BuzzFeed. I encourage you to read her words and share her voice.
