20 Minutes of Action

Two posts in one day. That's rare. But this one is one that needs to be written as a massive vent so that I can then move on to business writing.

"20 minutes of action..." That phrase is how Stanford swimmer Brock Allen Turner's dad described his son's rape of a woman. Seriously. Rape is seen as "20 minutes of action" in this douchebag's head. I'm livid. What is wrong with this world that this mentality exists and is out there.

I read the victim's letter on Buzzfeed over the weekend and have not been able to stop thinking about it since. So very brave of her to read this letter in court at his sentencing -- where he received just six months in prison for rape because a longer sentence would have a "severe impact on him". Fuck that noise.

Feeling the need here to add that I've thankfully never been raped. Have I been more drunk than I should have been when I was around guys? Sure. Have I been in situations I shouldn't have been in that could have gone hellaciously bad? Yes. Have I done things I wouldn't have if I wasn't drunk? Oh, yes. Was I raped? No.

There's one incident in particular in college that still sticks with me all these years later. But it wasn't rape. I never said "no" and I somehow (mainly due to my own insane naivety and lack of confidence) was a virgin throughout all of college, so no, it wasn't rape. Thinking back, if that guy was anything like Brock, that night could have been very, very bad and not just one heck of a "what was I thinking going off with that jerk?" regret but instead a life-changer. Thankfully, he wasn't -- not a great guy in the slightest, but not a rapist at all. I'll give him that.

But this story. It won't get out of my head. I'm just irate that this kid can receive only 6 months for a sentence and can change his story on the stand to saying she consented. How the bloody hell did she consent when she was unconscious? There is no way being dragged behind a dumpster and having pine needles inserted inside her by his fingers was something any woman would have consented to. Just no. The thought makes me ill.

So, so, so glad that those cyclists happened to be passing by and noticed she wasn't moving at all and pulled him off of her. I don't want to think about what would have happened -- and that Brock would have gotten away with this even further -- if they hadn't. Vomit worthy.

This woman can't sleep without the lights on due to the rape. Her entire world has been changed but Brock gets just 6 months because a longer sentence would have a severe impact on him. I can't. I just can't. The whole thing sickens me.