If you think that Shane Piche, the New York bus driver who raped a student and was sentenced to only 10 years probation and $350 for court fees and $1,000 for a sexual offender registration fee was the "appropriate sentence", you are feeding into the problem with society.

Rape is a violent crime. Why are we giving people with nonviolent drug crimes or simple speeding tickets more fines and longer sentences than those who take away a person's ability to feel safe in their own skin. Rape is a violation of every part of the body-- physical, mental and spiritual. It removes every sense of security from a person's life. It becomes an even scarier experience when your rapist isn't given any jail time.

4.6 rapists out of every 1,000 cases serve jail time. Why do we look at that statistic and feel okay with how our justice system treats victims and rapists. When we let a rapist go free or with a minimum sentence, we're laughing in the faces of victims. If this were a murder case and the perpetrator were to go free, a larger number of people would be outraged. Why can't we have the same energy for the men and women who are victims of rape?

We need to start taking steps to help the victims of these heinous crime get the justice they deserve. For the victims who are brave enough to come forward and face the cowards who assaulted them, we need to stand by them and give their rapists a TRULY appropriate sentence. A simple fine or three months in prison won't impact them the same way jail time will. They committed an act that deserves to be punished, but for some reason we do not hold them to our actions. We need to look at how our actions of giving these criminals minimal sentences speak louder than the empathy we show our victims. If we care as much as we preach that we do, we need to make a change.