Dear Brock Turner,

Recently there has been a lot of talk on social media and the news about your life decisions. I know you have heard it all. Ranging everywhere from hate messages to essentially telling you to drop off the earth. Now I am not here to tell you that what you did was right, or that I condone any form of sexual abuse. However, what I am here to say is "sorry".

Okay, those who are reading this and are planning on stopping after that statement. Don't. I encourage you to continue to read this and find out why I am saying "sorry".

Now, it may be a surprise to some of you that anybody would say something like that to a man who committed an absolutely heinous crime. A heinous crime is, by definition, something that is not only illegal but done out of hatred and selfish ambition. The majority of heinous crimes can end in being punishable by death.

However, the death penalty is only issued when that person has committed a capital crime. Unfortunately, in most states, rape is not considered a capital punishment unless there are a multitude of offenses by the same person. Okay so enough about facts, because like I said I'm sure you've hear it all and I qualify this as "all".

Now, I am going to be honest and say that I have never personally been a victim of rape or assault, and I pray that I never have something that awful happen to me. However, I have had friends who have been in those situations and it kills me when they tell me about it. Seeing the hurt in their eyes, hearing the shaking in their voice,and watching their pain as they recount the times that they went through that.

Being raped and/or assaulted is something that stays with a person forever and can change them not only emotionally and psychologically. But also physically. A woman (or a man) who goes through that pain can end up taking that out on their bodies and ruining something that God created in his own image.

God also created sex in his own image and intended for that to be something out of love, not out of hate or self-loathing. However, some people who aren't Christians (and some that are), don't see sex as something so precious. I understand people make mistakes in giving that away before marriage, but that should be on their own will. Not on somebody else's.

I understand how devastated victims of sexual crimes can be for the rest of their lives. I do. I don't know what they go through, but I do know that it must be horrific. You (Brock Turner) took away any life of normality from an extremely innocent woman.

However, I want to say sorry for all of the hate you're getting. As a Christian, I do not excuse what you have done because that is not possible. However, I do love you because that is what God calls me to do. I want to tell you that you deserve to be prayed for. That I know your life is going to be awful.

As a Christian I can't say you deserve this, but you deserved punishment. You deserved time in jail, and honestly more than you got. For being a predator, you got off easy. The girl who you made a victim, she did not. She will always have to live with the fact that you took something so extremely precious from her. As well, you took away her dignity.

However, Brock, I am praying for you. I'm praying that you find God, and you find peace. That you're able to put all of the negative comments out of your mind and find a way to focus on yourself. I know that your life will never be the same again, but I know that if you find a way to come to God he will love you.

Brock, I pray that you know that God will accept you with open arms and a loving heart, even if others around you are not. People may judge you the rest of your life, but they make their own mistakes. Maybe not as massive as the one you made, but God gives grace and he forgives.

I pray that you find redemption and a way to live with yourself, as many other have. I also pray for your victim, that she find peace. That she is able to be comforted by God in her time of hurting and grief. I pray that her, you, and your families are all able to allow God to help you throughout your life.

Now, to all the people who are hating on Brock Turner. Stop. I know, you all hate what he did. You can hate what you did as much as you want, but God doesn't want us to hate the person. He hates the crime but He would never hate the person. The hate you are giving Brock could lead to more pain in his life. I know that you are wishing him pain, but what does that say about you?

The more people talk about this and send Brock hate messages, the worse it is for the girl he raped. This kind of hate leads to suicide and mental disease. Do you want to push somebody to that point? Because I don't think that you do. So stop it. Now.

Pray for him. Pray for her. Pray for anybody who is going through something as tragic as this. If you're able to pray for him, then God may be able to bring one more person into his arms. Isn't that what everybody wants? So pray and ask for God to help him. Thank you!

-Malory Rush