Six months. That's it. Someone who sexually assaulted a woman will serve six months in prison.
Brock Turner was a student at Stanford who took advantage of a woman, scarring her for life. He took advantage of her at a party where she was found behind a dumpster with her clothes and hair completely messed up, but that is not even the worst part; the victim did not even know everything that had happened to her until the news reports came out. She was violated. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Her body was seen by people who did not deserve or have the consent to see her in the state she was in. She had pictures of her body sent in group messages, a lifetime of mental pain, along with being physically touched by someone she did not know. And for all of that, she gets six months of relief.
The sentence could be reduced if Turner is on good behavior in jail. So basically if he is a good boy he can go to more college parties where the same events could happen again. Because of the involvement of alcohol, his family support, and no criminal history, Turner serves six months in prison instead of years. The last time I remember, alcohol is not an excuse; if your family raised you right, then rape should never be an option. There are murderers with no criminal history as well yet they are serving their time instead of getting leniency. Turner is not sorry for sexually assaulting someone, he is sorry because his precious swimming career is over. So while she suffers physical, mental, and emotional pain, he is more concerned about his sport of choice.
This case is disappointing. Not only because Brock Turner gets only six months in jail, but because this case shows other people that if they drunkenly take advantage of a woman while having a clean background, a good home life, and being exceptional at a sport, they could get off as easily as he did. Instead of setting an example for today's world, women everywhere are upset, furious, and scared. Scared because this is clear that women are still seen as toys. Instead of taking into consideration the victim's feelings about being touched without consent, the horrors she must endure for her life, and her physical and mental bruises and scars, we set more and more examples of how the rape culture in America is severely skewed.
Brock Turner. The name that will be remembered for a lifetime. It could have been for swimming records, gold medals in the Olympics, very positive things. But instead, it is known for sexual assault, leniency, and six short months. Brock Turner still gets to live a normal life. He can forget about what happened without the emotional and mental scars. His victim cannot. She will suffer everyday thinking maybe she deserved it, thinking it could happen again, and reliving that night over and over in her mind. Her life is changed forever, and not in a good way. So congratulations. For receiving sixth short months. For ruining a woman's life, For being another example to sick people that sexual assault is okay. You may not receive a gold medal for swimming, but you can get a gold medal for ruining the lives of many.
