Campus Rape: More Common Than Shocking
A story that has been circulating our newsfeeds lately is the story of Stanford all-star swimmer Brock Turner. Originally sentenced to only six months at the hands of judge Aaron Persky, he faced 14 years. Along with six months in county jail, judge Persky also gave him three years of probation.
Now, do you think that is fair punishment for someone who knowingly sexually assaulted someone? Unfortunately, it’s common.
When we hear a story that someone (male or female) was sexually assaulted or raped, we don’t bat an eye. Instead of being shocked, we’re used to it! When we go away to college we should not be afraid of being jumped while walking back to our dorms after class. We shouldn’t live in fear. College is suppose to be a new, exciting experience. Not fearful or frightening.
That being said, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college. More than 90 percent of victims do not report the assault. And 63.3 percent of men admitted to committing repeat rapes.
First off, we need to make sure that someone who is sexually assaulted feels comfortable with telling someone what happened. If they don’t feel comfortable, chances are they feel it’s all their fault or nothing will be done to punish the perpetrator. Start a club on campus where victims can [anonymously] talk about their experiences. This way it will ensure they are more comfortable if they ever have to testify in court.
Ensure safe places on campus where if a student thinks they are being followed they could go to the “safe” place and therefore feel safe. The point is sexual assault, especially on campuses, will never go away. All we can do is teach people how to be safe and get the perpetrators off the streets to ensure a happy, safe society for all.