Everyone in college likes to have a good time. Everyone likes to go out on a Friday night with their friends, have a few drinks, and let go of the stress that comes along with being a college student. The only difference today is, having fun for men is a lot different for women. I have heard countless stories in the news about on campus rapes that have occurred at fraternity and sorority houses where women become victims to intoxicated men.
One story that has become popular in the news recently is John P. Enochs, 22, from Indiana University who was accused of rapping not only one girl, but two on two separate occasions in September. Many people were infuriated to hear that the charges brought against him had been dropped. This former Indiana University student accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to a year's probation with no prison time.
One of the incidents that was brought to the public attentions was at a party hosted by Enoch's fraternity Delta Tau Delta on April 11, 2015. The women explained to police that she went inside the house to look for a bathroom and soon awoke to find herself in a room with an unknown male having sex with her without her consent. She stated that she repeatedly told him "no" and tried pushing him off of her.
There is evidence that Enoch and this young women did have sex and there is video surveillance showing the two entering and exiting the room together. Yet, Enoch was let off the hook?
Another incident that has been all over the news lately is about a student from Stanford University. Brock Turner, 20, was accused of rapping a 23 year-old woman outside a fraternity party behind a dumpster. The victim says that she does not recall the night, but was told she was found unconscious behind a dumpster where Turner was seen over top of her.
Turner was giving an extremely light sentence of only 6 months in jail. His father states that his son's life has been "ruined" because of his "20 minutes of action." Really? His life has been ruined? What about the young woman who he took advantage of behind a dumpster while she was unconscious? Her life is now ruined because of his attack on her. He only has to be punished for 6 months, but there is not time stamp on how long it will take his victim to emotionally heal from his attack. Turner should have a much greater punishment than only 6 months in jail and his father should think twice about his words because that girl is someone's daughter, sister, or best friend. How do you think her life and her family's lives have been impacted because of your son taking advantage of her?
The judge states that a longer sentence would have "a severe impact on him."
A severe impact on him.
No one seems to even take notice to the impact his attack has had on this young woman.
There have been many other stories out there about on campus rapes and sexual assaults and most of the time it is when the victim is intoxicated and not coherent. Like I said before, when you're at a college party, and you're a college student everyone likes to enjoy themselves and have a good time with their friends, but for men and women it is different.
Women need to constantly be on their guard and they cannot let themselves get to a point where they will become vulnerable to these attackers. It is extremely unfair because women should not have to worry about this, I mean men don't have to when they're out and having a good time, but that is the reality. As women, we can't make ourselves targets to these men. We can't drink to get completely annihilated because that makes us easy prey.
If you're a woman and you're out at a party with your friends, you cannot leave each other. This is the most important thing that women need to know today. You cannot let your friend leave with some random guy that she does not know and you cannot leave her alone at a party. This is when women can easily be taken advantage of. If you travel in small groups and always stick together, the chances are no one is going to try anything. Even if one of you have to go to the bathroom, you should always bring at least one other person with you. You saw what happened to the first victim I talked about. She went inside to find a bathroom and later awoke to Enoch having sex with her.
It is extremely disheartening that these men are just getting a slap on the wrist for brutally assaulting innocent women at these college parties. Being sexually assaulted takes a toll on a person, and it takes awhile for them to emotionally heal. Why are these men being let of the hook so easily when they should be punished for their actions?
This should make women to want to be more aware and cautious when attending these parties. We should be able to have fun with our friends, just like men do, but we need to also be smart about it. If you're at a party in a place that you do not know too well, you shouldn't let yourself drink to the point where you won't be able to defend yourself. Never let anyone that you do not know get you a drink, and never leave your drink unattended.
It is not our clothing or our friendly attitude towards these men that cause these incidents to occur. Rapists, the ones who cannot take "no" for an answer are the ones to blame, not us women. The only thing that women can do while at these parties to avoid becoming another victim is to be smart about the situation that you are in and always be on your guard. Don't allow yourself to become another victim to these men that prey on us.