303 Ashe Ave

Raleigh, NC 27606

September 22, 2016

Dear Next President,

I would like to stress the issue of mishandled sexual harassment cases. Sexual assault is a very serious issue and should be handled properly. For instance, a man was caught smoking marijuana in his car and served more than 13 years in prison, yet Brock Turner was accused of rape and only got sentenced to 6 months and only served 3 months. As you can see that is totally outrageous and unfair. I respect that marijuana is an illegal drug, and there should be a fee for possession of it, but sexual assault is harming to those who experience rape and those around them. Please consider this next time you are handling a sexual assault case.

There was a recent survey that asked 282 undergraduate, graduate and part-time college students and 44 college administrators about their experience with sexual assault on their college campus. More than half had experienced harassment on campus or witnessed another student being harassed on her college campus, and only 18% of students had not experienced or witnessed harassment on campus. Sexual harassment isn’t only affecting them physically and emotionally, but it’s also limiting student’s ability to benefit from the educational experience. Almost half of students said harassment caused disappointment with college experience, and others said harassment caused inability to concentrate in class and prevented attendance in class and social activities. The current college system to help “take action” to reported sexual assault cases is insufficient. More than half of college administrators said that current systems to report and address harassment are not sufficient, and because of that only 17% of students said that they reported harassment to a person of authority. These statistics should help you realize how badly a new college campus system for sexual assault is needed.

I hope that this has brought realization to this improperly handled issue that needs to be taken care of. The guilty need to pay for the inhuman crime they have committed; for now, the only ones being punished are the innocent victims. No matter who is elected as President of the United States this November, sexual assault needs to be a priority to fix and handle properly. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this letter. Next time you see a college campus think “I wonder whose voice is being silenced” because more than likely there is more than one voice that is not being heard, more than one case being denied, more than one guilty person being called innocent, one more life being ruined. What are you going to do about it? 

 Sincerely,  Trinity L. 

Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy