Academy Students React to Stanford Swimmer Rape Case

Jessica Galvis, Senior Staff Writer|September 8, 2016

Students at Academy inform themselves about the case that has caught the attention of people across the nation. Photo Credit: Jessica Galvis/Achona Online

In January 2015, Brock Turner, a former Stanford University swimmer, was arrested and charged with five counts of sexual assault after raping an unconscious, intoxicated 22 year-old woman at a college party. Turner was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault, which potentially could have placed him in prison for 14 years. Turner claimed that the interaction was completely consensual and he had no intention of rape.

In June 2016, Judge Aaron Persky gave the student-athlete six months confinement in a county jail and three years probation, and after being released from jail, Turner had to register as a sex offender.

Junior Lindsey Perez is one of many who believe Turner got away with too short of a sentence, and should have been punished more severely.

This criminal case provoked public outcry with people criticising the judge of favoring privileged, white males over victims of rape. Some even started campaigns calling for a recall on Persky. After Turner was given his mild sentence, the victim, who decided to remain anonymous throughout the trial, gave a powerful and heartbreaking statement addressed to her attacker. Within a few days, the statement became viral.

Senior Karianne Buser comments, “This situation completely changes her. She can never go out in the same situations and have it be the same. She is damaged. A person can’t recover from that.”

On Friday, September 2, Turner was released from county jail after only serving three of his six month sentence. Four days later, Turner officially registered as a sex offender and began his three year probation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once he arrived in his hometown in Ohio, Turner was greeted by dozens of protesters outside his parents’ home. Some had written messages in chalk on the front driveway of the house and others were holding signs voicing their rage towards the verdict of the case.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Lizzie Dolan questions, “What type of model does that put out for other guys out there? It shows them that they can rape someone and won’t necessarily get the punishment they deserve.”

Turner will have to register as a sex offender every 90 days and his probation is set to end in summer of 2019.