On June 2nd, the social media world rioted over what is now known as "The Stanford Rape Case." Brock Turner was sentenced to six months in jail after pleading not guilty to five felony charges. Facebook and Twitter had posts about the topic trending for weeks. The nation should be turning their attention to important subjects like rape on college campuses, but people are turning a blind eye.
I hear people say they don't want to talk about it because it's a touchy subject, or they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. What hurts feelings is avoiding the subject, because it is not the victim's fault. The social media world should be rioting for all rape cases. It will happen on all campuses, private or public. It doesn't matter if you're a 17-year old freshman or a 22-year-old senior, the situation is no different and each campus is no different.
In my time at Ferris State, I haven't had my resident adviser or anyone from the department of public safety talk to me about what to do if I were assaulted. Calling 911 is the obvious decision, but will I have access to a phone and how long will it take them to get there? Why aren't these issues being talked about? No one told me that I would have to carry pepper spray with me when I was walking home. Ferris felt like my second home and I was supposed to feel safe.
Young ladies should not have to worry about going out and having a few drinks with her friends. No one should ever assume the outfit you're wearing is giving the vibe that you're "asking for it." No one is asking for anything. Just like we should be able to go out and have fun, with the only assumption being that we probably shouldn't have went out because we will have to nurse a hangover before work the next day. Being intoxicated immediately tosses all consent out the window. No drunk person, can give sexual consent after a long night of drinking or even after a few drinks.
In most settings and situations, women know the offender, they are just drinking with friends or at their boyfriend's house. Next thing, even saying no isn't enough.
One in six women will get raped in college. So the next time you are in class look to your left and to your right, because it could happen to anyone.
So let's get real and start talking about rape.
