STANFORD RAPE VICTIM READS AN OPEN LETTER TO HER RAPIST

*** TRIGGER WARNING***

This letter is the response of a rape survivor to the sentencing of her attacker, which she read in court to the man convicted of assaulting her and to the judge who sentenced him.

In January, she was rescued by two strangers while she was being raped, and in March, her attacker, Brock Allen Turner, was found guilty of THREE felony charges of sexual assault. Turner faced fourteen years in prison, but Judge Aaron Persky sentenced him to only 6 months in county jail, stating that a longer sentence would have “a severe impact” on Turner, despite the fact that Turner was convicted of the THREE felonies that warranted the fourteen-year sentencing in state prison.

I feel compelled to share this survivor’s letter because she says what I have reminded so many women and men survivors of over all of these years of my activism addressing sexual and domestic violence, and have had to remind myself of again at times: We are not alone. We are not alone. We are shining as survivors so that none of us is alone.

“And finally, to girls everywhere, I am with you. On nights when you feel alone, I am with you. When people doubt you or dismiss you, I am with you. I fought everyday for you. So never stop fighting, I believe you. Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining. Although I can’t save every boat, I hope that by speaking today, you absorbed a small amount of light, a small knowing that you can’t be silenced, a small satisfaction that justice was served, a small assurance that we are getting somewhere, and a big, big knowing that you are important, unquestionably, you are untouchable, you are beautiful, you are to be valued, respected, undeniably, every minute of every day, you are powerful and nobody can take that away from you. To girls everywhere, I am with you. Thank you.”

Here Is The Powerful Letter The Stanford Victim Read Aloud To Her Attacker.