"20 Minutes of Action"

 Portrait of an All American Rapist

This week shined a light of how our judicial system is skewed when it comes to white, economically advantaged young men who commit rape. The case of Brock Turner, a Stanford swimmer, jarred us with the reality of how celebrity looks, a winning smile, and a Stanford education can earn you a get out of jail free card. He was convicted of raping a an intoxicated 23 year old woman. Two graduate students happened upon the sexual assault in progress and apprehended him when he attempted a cowardly escape. In a sentence which can only leave one speechless, he received six months in prison with only three months if he behaves himself. Judge Aaron Persky handed down the sentence saying, "a long sentence would have a severe impact on him." Wake up judge, jail has a severe impact on everyone sentenced.

According to Judge Aaron Persky, if I am unconscious or do something stupid and voluntarily lose control of my sensorium, white men of privilege are entitled to rape me. After all, boys will be boys-it happens at frat parties everywhere. The message here is I automatically consent to being brutalized for not being a good girl. I wonder if Judge Persky, a self-proclaimed defender of violated women, even knows the extent of trauma rape victims endure. Did the fact that Judge Persky also went Stanford bias his decision?

The slap on the wrist sentencing of a 20 year old blond, blue-eyed American swimmer from Stanford illustrates what women have known for centuries:  rape is in the eye of the beholder. There is always a plausible excuse to rape a woman. And, even if there isn’t, most women deserve it when the engage in slut-like behavior. A clear message has been sent that men should not be punished for predatory sexual behavior when the victim is making herself 'available'. His father said it well when he wrote to the judge proclaiming such his phenomenal athletic son should not be punished for “20 minutes of action”. He went on to say his son "has never been violent to anyone" including the night of the witnessed attack. Unbelievably, the senior Mr. Turner felt his son could pay his karmic debt for necrophiliac-like horsing around with his obtunded prey by warning fellow college students of the dangers of promiscuity and drinking. He was referring to his son's victim here. The apple, evidently, does not fall far from the tree. Now we know where his son got his respect for incapacitated women. 

The rapist, Brock Turner, has never expressed remorse for his actions. His defense was he was drunk and the sex was consensual. The witnesses at his trial testified his victim was unconscious and could not have given consent. As a child of wealth, Mr. Turner believes he is above the law as does his father. Neither have insight on the makings of a predator. He really is a good kid who made a minor mistake-getting caught. For God’s sake this is a 20 year old blond, blue-eyed all-star athlete from Stanford. This will teach Mr. Turner to be more careful the next time.

The trues heroes of this story are the victim and the grad students who intervened by catching Mr. Turner as he fled the scene. This victim showed tremendous courage coming forward when most when most women would have felt overwhelmed by the odds this rarified trophy cake eater would ever see justice. Until you’ve been there, it is impossible to describe the humiliation of having your degradation paraded in court and in the media.

The grad students who interceded by capturing the assailant also deserve tremendous praise for their valorous actions. They had the emotional wits to stop the attack, ensuring Mr. Turner would face the consequences for his predation. Unlike Mr. Turner and his father, these young men were taught to respect and value women. They deserve a medal for rescuing the victim, intercepting the perpetrator, and bravely testifying in court. The actions of these two grad students has given me hope that a generation of men who delight in violent video games depicting women as folly for their pent up aggression can rise above the prevailing misogynist attitudes being spoon fed to boys and men.

Mr. Turner's Aryan looks and steely denial will not serve him well in prison. My guess is his fellow minority inmates won't be impressed with his collegiate prowess nor his cries of being the real victim. They may, however, enjoy his warnings about the dangers of sexual promiscuity and intoxication. 

A movement is under way to recall Judge Aaron Persky. To sign a petition for his recall, go to:

http://cjp.ca.gov/res/docs/appendix/complaintform%20fillable.pdf