Unless you've been living under a rock, by now I am sure you have heard of the Stanford rape case and all of the injustices that go along with it. Along with the many injustices and the ways in which this case exemplifies privilege, this case very clearly exemplifies rape culture.
What is rape culture and how is it exemplified in this case? Well, I am glad you asked.
Rape culture is people saying "She was drunk, what did she expect to happen?" and "How does she know it's rape if she can't remember?"
Drinking alcohol doesn't cause rape. Rapists cause rape. The assumption that it's okay to have sex with an unconscious woman just because she was drunk and possibly flirty earlier is rape culture. In regards to how she knows it was rape if she can't remember? When you're so intoxicated you pass out and can't remember the night, that consent is invalid. Consent is an eager and enthusiastic yes from a conscious and coherent partner. Sex without this type of consent can very easily be considered rape. Personally, I believe that any sex without this type of consent is assault.
Rape culture is asking what she expected to happen because she was drinking while excusing his actions because he was drinking.
He was drunk, so he wasn't in control of his actions, right? Wrong. His stance is that this only happened because of "drinking culture" on college campuses. No, Brock, this happened because you felt entitled to that woman's body even when she couldn't say yes or no to you. Brock Turner knew what he was doing was wrong and the world knows this because he got up and attempted to run away. If he was sober enough to try to run away when he got caught, he was sober enough to have known that what he was doing was very, very wrong.
Rape culture is Brock Turner's father saying that he shouldn't be punished for the rest of his life for twenty minutes of action, and the judge seeming to agree with him.
Turner's father wrote a letter in which he details how this incident has impacted Brock's life, claiming that he won't even eat the same snacks anymore. I don't know what that has to do with the fact that this man's son is a rapist, but y'know, whatever. Turner's father said that he didn't feel that his son's entire life should be affected by the 20 minutes of action that night out of 20 years of life.
You know what his dad doesn't say? That that 20 minutes of action have affected the woman he attacked for the rest of her life. That 20 minutes have changed her and her family's lives forever, but Turner's father was only concerned with trying to free his son. The judge seemed to agree that Turner's entire life shouldn't be impacted as Turner was only given a six month jail sentence because a longer prison sentence could have a severe impact on him. Um. I'm pretty sure that's the point of prison, but OK. It seems that both Turner's father and the judge involved in the case don't see the severity of what Brock Turner did. That's rape culture.
Rape culture is Brock Turner's friend claiming he was only convicted because of "political correctness."
Firstly, WHAT? Now that the initial confusion is out of the way, let's discuss the letter written by Turner's childhood friend. Apparently she believes that this case was not a rape or a sexual assault but instead just a couple of kids who hooked up having too much to drink.
I'm pretty sure you can't hook up when you're unconscious. You can only be assaulted.
This friend apparently seems to be on the same page as Turner as far as the drinking culture thing. And yeah, the drinking culture on campuses is a problem, but not one contributing to Brock Turner's guiltiness.
Rape culture is Turner's attorney asking the victim violating questions on the stand.
The victim's letter tells the world some of what the attorney asked her. Questions like "How much do you weigh?" "Did you drink with dinner? No, not even water?" "What were you wearing?" "Are you serious with your boyfriend? Are you sexually active with him? When did you start dating? Would you ever cheat?"
"Do you remember any more from that night? No? OK, well, we'll let Brock fill it in."
These questions were none of the defense's business and were used to upset her and make her struggle. They were also used to discredit her and make it easier for the defense to simply blame the victim. That is rape culture.
Rape culture is all of this, and so much more.
If any of the things listed here as rape culture bother you, run with that feeling. Let's dismantle rape culture. When you educate yourself on what rape culture is, it makes it easier for you to recognize it and put those perpetuating it in their place.
Every rape and sexual assault case is heartbreaking and sickening, but this one has caught the eye of the nation. The victim is choosing to keep her anonymity because even though the world doesn't know who she is, we are all still outraged by the wrong done to her. As tragic as what happened to her is, I truly hope that this case will help to change the society we live in.
