Sexual assault is not a result of poor decision-making on the part of the victim. It is not an accident. Drinking is not an excuse for raping an unconscious woman. Being more concerned about the impact of sexual assault on the perpetrator rather than the victim is just wrong.
Last week when a judge sentenced the former Stanford swimmer who sexually assaulted an unconscious woman to six months in jail because a longer sentence would have had "a severe impact on him," we felt outrage, anger, and disgust for a criminal justice system that continues to blame victims and fails to hold perpetrators accountable for sexual violence.
Sadly, it is not only the criminal justice system that is failing sexual assault victims, it is everyone who remains silent about this despicable crime that impacts 1 in 6 women and 1 in 77 men.
The letter the victim wrote describing the "severe impact" the assault had on her is heart-wrenching and powerful. She ends the letter with a message for women and girls everywhere who have survived a sexual assault, "I am with you."
It is time to stand up and speak out about sexual violence. It is time to let rape and sexual assault survivors everywhere know that they are not alone.
