As many of you have read throughout the news or seen on TV, there is a very controversial case in our midst regarding a Stanford University swimmer and the charges being brought upon him. Brock Allen Turner was accused of raping a woman behind a dumpster in January of 2015. At the time being, the trial is underway and has not only gained national attention, it has raised eyebrows and wonder as the trail moves forward.
I am sure you have heard it all. The letter Turner’s father had presented the judge about his “20 minutes of action”, the two Swedish students that were brave enough to beat the hell out of Turner as they saw his wrongdoings behind the dumpster, the letter the victim had presented in court addressing Turner himself. The case is national news, if not international by now. Yet again, another university rape case is streaking through our headlines. As time has moved forward, more and more reports of the case have brought anger and disgust with our judicial system. As I understand, Turner’s sentence was supposed to be six years in prison, along with registering as a sex offender and other things. Now Turner has been sentenced to six months in prison and has to register as a sex offender. Where did this sentencing charge get diminished by five and a half years? Where did our judicial system fail to punish the criminal that Turner is to the fullest extent of the law?
I have never been raped nor have I ever been assaulted in any way. I have never woken up in a hospital on a gurney with no recollection of what had happened hours before. I could not imagine the pain that this victim is going through. The agony of her personal life and her case being publicized for every person that has Internet access to read or listen to. What Brock Turner did was wrong. I may be biased. I am a girl myself. I have been too drunk and luckily, I have amazing friends and a boyfriend that always made sure I got home, whether it was dragging me there or simply rounding me up from my shenanigans at that time.
Despite this, Turner should serve for what he did. As I have been rummaging through Facebook posts regarding people’s opinions on this case, race is also starting to play a role. Brock Turner, who is a white male, is looking at six months where former Vanderbilt football player Corey Batey is looking at 12-15 years for the same charges… Does this seem fair to every one else?
Rape is rape. I understand where some people believe that being under the influence is a bit of a grey area, but in reality, there is no grey area. The law says that someone’s consent is not valid while they are under the influence, which Turner’s victim was. There is no justification for that. Whether it was 20 minutes or two, Brock Turner should pay for what he did in the fullest extent possible.
