We need to start referring to Brock Turner as the dumpster rapist, not the Stanford anything.
By associating him with anything of positive connotation, like “Stanford,” or “swimmer,” we are removing him from the situation and automatically making him seem less accountable. It is disgusting that the survivor of this incident will live with the affects for this trauma for the rest of her life, while this clearly over-privileged rapist earns sympathy from not only his friends and family, but the judge himself.
In the very eloquently worded statement put out by the survivor herself, she stated that after the media detailed the incident, his swim times were listed. Like she said, as if this lessened the blow or made the incident any less severe or important. We need to stop associating bad people who do bad things with the character-saving traits about them, because it sets the scene for victim-blaming and perpetrator sympathy. I don’t care if it was the President of the United States, if you are convicted of raping someone, that’s the first thing people should read about you. Not that you’re Olympic-bound. Not that you attend Stanford. These are wonderful things, and losing these opportunities because you are convicted of rape and have to register as a sex offender should have been considered before you went and raped someone.
This monster was convicted on three counts (in case you were confused, that means guilty), including intent to rape, yet received a lighter sentence than many others, regardless of their race. I’ve seen many comments on social media discussing how this person’s race has a lot to do with his sentence or lack thereof. I absolutely agree with the people who say that if this person was of another ethnicity, we would not even be having this conversation, because they would have been given a full sentence, no discussion. However, there are plenty of white rapists who serve well deserved time, without the fear of setting them back or ruining their potential or whatever nonsense the judge used to justify the measly six months in county jail that he was given. Again, being set back or having your Olympic prospects ruined is something you should probably consider before you decide to rape someone.
This case is polarizing the nation around the idea of “rape culture” as the attitudes of his father, the judge, and his female friend who all made statements place blame on the victim, and hilariously, alcohol.
Unfortunately for those with this stance, alcohol doesn’t rape…rapists do.
It was even mentioned that he will go to college campuses to speak on the dangers of intoxication or something so mind-boggling I can’t even wrap my head around it.
The only positive I see in this case are that those on the other end of the debate are now fighting more ferociously than ever to reverse the disgusting attitude regarding rape. By making their voices and opinions heard, I can only hope that one day, a person convicted of raping someone behind a dumpster will be sentenced on the crime at hand, not by their potential that was thrown away as soon as the crime was committed.
