COLUMN

my word against yours

Lilly Williams Maddie Handrich Lily Hieronymus

Picture your favorite article of clothing. Now imagine that article of clothing in a plastic bag, in a courtroom. It’s being used against you as evidence.

Unfortunately, this is a common situation for many rape survivors around the country, and has been for a while, as a painfully slim amount of rapists face just prosecution. In today’s society, things as simple as the shirt on your back can dictate whether or not a rape was actually rape. This issue is just one aspect of a plaguing culture, and a dangerous number of rapists are walking the streets alongside us every day because of it.

slut-shaming and misognysitc victim-blaming help to keep society oblivious to the real issue: rape culture and rapists. According to The New York Times, there’s an entire market of products solely for the purpose of detecting drinks that have been roofied: coasters, straws, Sipchips, you name it. In 2016, a company named Undercover Colors invented a nail polish laquer that changes color when exposed to date-rape drugs. While innovative, fancy nail polish only serves as a window into the obstructive mentality surrounding the issue. Products like this perpetrate victim blaming, further distracting from the root causes of rape and sexual assault. The Hard Facts Anything that puts the onus on women to “discreetly” keep from

As much as society comforts itself by believing that rapists face being raped completely misses the point. It’s saddening that we’ve punishments fitting the severe nature of their crime, that couldn’t gotten to the point where products like these need to be created. be further from the truth. In fact, the reality is quite the opposite. We need a serious shift in accountability.

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest In Brock Turner’s court statement in National Network (RAINN), an estimated 2016, he blamed his crimes on a culture of 39% of rapes and sexual assaults are actual- drinking, peer pressure and “sexual promisly reported. For reported cases, there is a cuity.” The fact of the matter is that Turner 50% chance of the rapist being arrested. shouldn’t have a “culture” to ascribe for his

When RAINN crunched the numbers, crimes. Even considering that he does, why is only 16% of rapists ever spend a day in jail. that acceptable? Why does society foster a Factoring in unreported rapes, a frighten- culture where this severe infliction of trauing 6% of rapists face any jail time. ma is acceptable?

Fifteen out of 16 rapists walk free. Because of this culture, rapists walk free

Sickening. every day, and rape victims live in fear and

In the infamous People of the State of anguish every day, possibly for the rest of California v. Brock Turner case in 2016, their lives. Turner can move on and live his 19-year-old Brock Turner was convicted life, but the girl he raped may think of that by jury on three counts of sexual assault. day for the rest of her life. The trial mainly focused on one of the Source: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Networkvictims with a particularly sickening case.

Turner was sentenced to a mere six months in jail, of which he The Detrimental Aftermath served three. Not everyone has experienced rape or sexual assault, and there-

His father complained in a statement that his son’s life had been fore cannot possibly grasp the anguish suffered by 1 in 6 women, and ruined by “20 minutes of action.” 1 in 10 men, according to RAINN.

What was 20 minutes of “action” for Turner was 20 minutes of However, the facts speak for themselves. agony, of misery, of undoable trauma for his victim. Statistically speaking, victims of sexual assault are significantly

So whose life is really being ruined? Is it the man who served three more likely to suffer from depression, PTSD, abuse alcohol or drugs months in jail? Or the woman he left unconscious behind a dumpster? and contemplate suicide, according to RAINN. There’s a reason why 61% of rape victims decide against reporting “What were you wearing?” their rape — many victims fear that their story will be ignored, in-

It’s far too often that the blame of a sexual assault case is placed validated or deemed their own fault. And unfortunately, they’re not on alcohol use, flirtation or even the outfit of a victim, rather than incorrect in this fear, as most rapists, even those accused, walk free. the rapist. Going through something as violating as rape is extremely difficult.

I shouldn’t have to explain this: To then gain the courage to speak up against your rapist is an entirely

A girl’s choice in underwear is not her consent. separate challenge. After all of that, to be told that your story is un-

Her choice to drink alcohol is not her consent. true or exaggerated, all in order to protect the well-being of the very

Her flirtation is not her consent. person who stole yours? No one deserves that sort of pain.

Nothing other than a clear “yes” is her consent. So let’s end it. As a society, we should put much more emphasis

This is not to devalue the millions of men in the U.S. that have on the heinous crime that sexual assault is and have no tolerance for been victims of sexual assault or rape, according to RAINN. How- it. Let’s stop blaming sexual assault on intoxication or a short dress, ever, rape culture has a particularly harmful effect on women, as and start blaming rapists.