Illustration by Evelyn Zhong
Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison in New York City on March 11. This is monumental to the #MeToo movement, as it proves that a powerful man can lose to a determined group of women. This sentence is equivalent to a life sentence, as Weinstein is currently ill and elderly, thus emphasizing the consequences of his actions.
This case sends a clear message to perpetrators elsewhere that they are not above the law, no matter how much money or fame they possess. This judgement is a major breakthrough in how women can overcome their odds, in comparison to the 2015 Brock Turner case.
Previously in 2015, the media reported Stanford student Turner’s rape trial. The victim, student Chanel Miller, came out to the public about the rape. During a party on campus, Miller was found unconscious with Turner on top of her. Later on, Turner was arrested for sexual assault and rape, and sent to trial. In 2016, Turner was found guilty of three of five charges, and sent to six months in prison. This sentencing was a joke, and definitely did not fit the crime. Turner tore away a woman’s privacy and sanity because of his need for sexual pleasure—six months will not rehabilitate a rapist.
When I was a kid, I believed that girls and boys could do anything they wanted, and I maintained that belief throughout my childhood and teenage life. Today, this childlike naivety is proven wrong. There is no such thing as girls and boys being truly free to follow their dreams. Boys are looked to as “strong” and “masculine” when that is not the case with every boy, and with girls the opposite. The world we imagined was perfect with no sickness, sadness or crimes. As kids, we believed that justice would prevail; we most importantly believed in happy endings for all. Now, because of Weinstein’s conviction and sentencing, our beliefs and wishes are starting to come true.
In the past, the justice system was flawed; it sided with the perpetrators instead of providing a safe haven for victims. Today, the justice system now recognizes the victims and guards their wellbeing. With this case in mind, it is a step forward in the right direction. Even though we are stepping into the just world, it is still progress towards the ideal world that we were taught to imagine.