As seniors, many of us are looking forward to the next step in our lives: college. With college comes more freedom, independence and the opportunity to try new things. But with all the exciting new experiences of college, the threat of sexual assault that runs rampant on many campuses is a cause for alarm for many students, particularly female students.
Of course, women are not the only victims of sexual assault, but the statistics can’t be denied. The New York Times has reported that one in five women have been sexually assaulted. Sexual assault often occurs on college campuses.
One prime example of this was of Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner, who sexually assaulted an unconscious girl behind a dumpster. Turner served only three months out of a six-month sentence and was released for good behavior. Judge Aaron Persky, who gave this lenient sentence, felt that a longer sentence would jeopardize Turner’s future.
But what about the future of the girl who he sexually violated? It is unbelievable that the actual victims of these crimes are treated like it is their fault. Rape victims who have been treated this way often become depressed and in some cases suicidal. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 81% of women who were sexually assaulted report experiencing short or long-term post traumatic stress disorder.
I believe the main cause for this victim-blaming mentality is society’s assumption or suspicion that when a girl is sexually assaulted, it is her fault, and hers only. Questioning what the victim was wearing, whether she was asking for it, how well she knew her assaulter and countless other inquiries imply that the victim is somehow responsible for the horrible thing that has happened to them.
Rapists should be held accountable for their actions, not the victims. Our society teaches girls to always stay in groups, to never to go out alone, to stay wary of one’s surroundings. All the while, boys are given the benefit of the doubt and are not held accountable for their actions.
The phrase “boys will be boys” is no longer an excuse for the way a guy treats a girl. We need to start teaching boys at a young age that women are not objects, and that there are repercussions to the way they treat women. No matter how short our skirts are or how low cut our tops are, we are never asking for it.
If we can teach girls to always be vigilant and stay together, then we can teach boys to do the same. Health classes and parents should teach boys that sexual assaulting someone is a choice, and is something that can harm not only their future but their victims as well.
We are all here on this planet to live our lives and to follow our dreams. Girls going away to college should be excited about their future, not busy wondering whether they will be the next victim added to the statistics.
We should all be educated when it comes to topics such as sexual assault and consent. Hopefully, there will be a day when this article will no longer be relevant. But until that day comes, society has work to do.
TCHS School Newspaper