Dear Future President,

We, as Americans, need a better definition of rape because of Brock Turner, a white man who was let out early. Why, you ask? If he was black, he would’ve been sentenced in prison longer. Brock Turner is a man who was subjected to 3 months in jail. He was tried to 6 months in prison (which we might add is not a long time) but he only served 3. If Brock was a man of color, he would be sentenced to more than 6 months. He would not be let out early for good behavior. We think that everyone should be sentenced to the same amount of time if they are tried for the same reason. Unless they are a convicted repeatedly for different crimes. Rape is something very hard to talk about for some people. It is a traumatic for victims to talk about. The penetration, the pain, the memories.

People have been forced, drugged, or intoxicated to the point of no memory.

Rape is not a laughing matter. Even though people joke about it, real victims have experienced this and feel like they have been treated unfairly. To watch Brock Turner be escorted out of jail was most-likely the most traumatic happening for the girl who experienced rape. Brock should have not been let out 3 months early if he was tried for 6 months. Aaron Persky, the judge who sentenced Turner for a short amount of time, has been described as unfair. Brock Turner was guilty of three sexual assault charges. Raul Ramirez, an immigrant, with the same charges, has been sentenced longer than Brock has. Raul pleaded guilty and apologized for sexual assault. Turner claimed he didn’t even meet the girl he had raped.

Many men have admitted to committing rape several times in college. None of those men said they were prosecuted or went to the police about it. This tells you how much of these crimes that have gone unsaid. How many women have had to be subjected to rape?

All in all, rape is a crime that needs to be taken more seriously.

Sincerely,

Mekhi F.

Jolie T.

Lyric J.