The recent uproar of Brock Turner's release from spending three months in jail for raping an unconscious woman on a college campus has rightfully angered many people, myself included. Whether it be a three month sentence for a rapist or a judge asking a victim, in open court, why she didn't "keep her legs together" to prevent her rape, the rape culture has taken over our world.
Rape Statistics
Reported. 1:5 women and 1:71 men will be raped at some point of their lives, 91 percent of victims of rape and sexual assault are women, eight out of 10 victims say they knew the person who sexually assaulted them. These statistics are completely heartbreaking. The fact that there is a 1/5 chance that I could be raped or sexually assaulted and there is nothing I could do about it is extremely frightening. Every two minutes, a woman is in the United States is raped. Of course people are going to say that women are over-dramatic about the situation and that we have it coming.
It is NEVER the victim's fault
Recently, I had a discussion with someone about rape and he told me that if women didn't dress so "sexually" than maybe we wouldn't be raped or sexually assaulted. That idiotic comment completely blew my mind. I am a high school student and dress code is a major thing at my school. I understand not having your butt hanging out, but even if our shoulders are showing it becomes the end of the world. Our school security has said that our shoulders are "too distracting for guys" why is it a woman's fault that guys sexualize our shoulders?
Survivors of rape or sexual abuse tend to blame themselves. It's unacceptable that our culture blames the victim for a crime they didn't commit. Women tend to think of things they could or should have done that would have prevented it but in all actuality, there was nothing they could have done themselves to change what happened. They often ask themselves questions like "why did this happened to me?" and "Why did I have to take that way?" The point is, no matter what you are wearing or how you were acting, it is never the victim's fault.
Rape Laws
In all states, if a man forcibly subjects a woman who is not his wife to sexual intercourse without her consent, he has committed the crime of rape.
Florida state laws include rape under the offense of "sexual battery." There is no longer a separate definition of rape. A prosecuter must establish each of the elements of the sexual battery given by state law. The prosecutor must show that the defendant engaged in oral, vaginal, or anal penetration of the victim with a sexual organ or another object. Alternatively, the prosecutor must prove a union by the defendant's sexual organ with the victim's mouth, vagina, or anus. Florida state laws says the prosecutor needs to show lack of consent.
The penalty for sexual battery committed on a victim under the age of 12 by an adult over 18 can get a sentence of life imprisonment. If the defendant is under 18 they can get a sentence of up to 30 years or life imprisonment. The charge of sexual battery to someone over 12 can get a sentence up to just 15 years.
Rape is sad, serious and all around us... it is time for a change.