Remove ads, unlock a dark mode theme, and get other perks by upgrading your account. Experience the website the way it's meant to be.

The Letter the Stanford Victim Read Aloud to Her Attacker

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Melody Bot, Jun 3, 2016.

  1. Melody Bot

    Your friendly little forum bot. Staff Member

    This article has been imported from chorus.fm for discussion. All of the forum rules still apply.

    Katie J.M. Baker, writing for Buzzfeed:


    A former Stanford swimmer who sexually assaulted an unconscious woman was sentenced to six months in jail because a longer sentence would have “a severe impact on him,” according to a judge. At his sentencing Thursday, his victim read him a letter describing the “severe impact” the assault had on her.

    This is exceptional. Please read, please share.

     
  2. The fact that he only got six months is fucking disgusting.
     
  3. AshlandATeam

    Trusted

    This is fucking heartbreaking. In so, so many ways.
     
    beachdude42, RJ Knorr and Aaron Mook like this.
  4. Zoshchenko

    Trusted Supporter

    I've never read something before that absolutely gutted me like that. The clarity and precision with which she wrote is astonishing. Everyone should read it.
     
    bd007h, bertbro, beachdude42 and 2 others like this.
  5. Reese's Pieces

    Newbie

    That was exceptionally written and hard to read. Thank you Jason for posting this and I plan on sharing this with a bunch of people.
     
  6. skogsraet

    Trusted Supporter

    If she does end up following up his presentations, I would love to go to every single one and cheer her on.

    This dude is lower than dog shit. The lack of compassion with which he conducted himself in an entire year shows that not only does he deserve to be put behind bars, but he NEEDS to be put behind bars for a while. That's literally what jail is for, when a criminal does not understand the error of their ways.

    The judge is equally as much dog shit as the rapist. This is someone who has witnessed the entire case, heard both sides of the story, and concluded that raping someone isn't a crime worthy of a sentence with "severe impact," in this case meaning anything longer than 6 months. I found another article that stated he could be released in 3 months on good behavior. This is someone who clearly does not understand the gravity of his crime and the justice system is failing him and the American people by allowing him back in public when the past year obviously hasn't made a severe enough impact on him.
     
  7. supernovagirl

    Poetic and noble land mermaid

    the frustration you can feel from this breaks your heart in two.
     
  8. PandaBear!

    Trusted Prestigious

    Incredible - should be required reading for literally the whole internet.

    "When I see my younger sister hurting, when she is unable to keep up in school, when she is deprived of joy, when she is not sleeping, when she is crying so hard on the phone she is barely breathing, telling me over and over again she is sorry for leaving me alone that night, sorry sorry sorry, when she feels more guilt than you" - this part was particularly poignant for me; how horrible that her sister is the one carrying such guilt and all this scumbag can say is "we both drank too much". What a total, total coward.
     
    bd007h, beachdude42, Luroda and 3 others like this.
  9. Anticitizen7

    Please be kind. Like actually kind though.

    Are you serious? Oh, because its not like a severe impact is what he deserves. I can't believe a judge would be opposed to giving severe actions severe consequences.

    I really hope everyone reads this and shares it with every outlet they can.
     
  10. johnnyutes

    Vaya con Dios Supporter

    That was a powerful read. I hope this article is read by all people who need a swift kick in the ass.
     
  11. incognitojones

    Some Freak Supporter

    This wrecked me, hard to believe in justice when this scum won't even admit what he did
     
  12. Kizwiz

    Regular

    A harrowing read. Imagine being an attorney for your profession and choosing greed over morality.
     
    Guys Named Todd likes this.
  13. Micool1

    Trusted Prestigious

    Can't believe the posts on that page... "Minor things that happen at every party?" Yeah, everyone knows there's a rape happening at every party! Can't believe some people think the guy is the victim...
     
  14. Craig Manning

    @FurtherFromSky Moderator

    What a remarkably brave person. I read this earlier today and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. I didn't have any faith in our justice system anyway, but this makes me hate it so much more. This guy should be rotting in a cell for a decade, at least. Agree with everyone who said it should be required reading. The first comment on the Buzzfeed article is a mom saying she's going to make her three sons read this before they start dating and then again before they go to college. I love that idea.
     
    bd007h, beachdude42, cubsml34 and 4 others like this.
  15. Nathan

    Always do the right thing. Supporter

    Absolutely incredibly and powerfully written. Profoundly moving and an exceptional statement. I really hope its reach extends to those who need to hear it most.
     
    incognitojones likes this.
  16. Kiana

    Goddamn, man child Prestigious

    I honestly think it's the responsibility of everyone who has a son. As women we're always told how to protect ourselves and are policed about it, but there is no onus on men. There have been too many assault cases where a man straight up admits to the assault but there is such a lack of knowledge on what consent is that he doesn't even see it as anything wrong. That is a huge problem.
     
  17. Craig Manning

    @FurtherFromSky Moderator

    It is absolutely the responsibility of the parents to teach those lessons. Clearly, boys are not going to learn them from the media, from pop culture, or from their friends at school.
     
    Petit nain des Îles and Kiana like this.
  18. crunchprank

    crunchprank.net Prestigious

    Having lost a family member to an intoxicated driver, and another family member to alcoholism, it frustrates me beyond belief how many of these stories begin with being under the influence of alcohol. However, the only thing that makes me more upset than a person being irresponsible with their drinking, is the fact that there are predators like this boy who preys on and takes advantage of women in these situations.

    And six months? In county jail? This makes me want to throw up. The high school, college, and professional athletic system are fucked up beyond words for reasons exactly like this.

    This dude feels no remorse for what he did. And as compelling, and heartbreaking, and eye opening as her statement was to him - I'm sure it didn't affect him in the slightest.

    Scumbag.
     
    Carmensaopaulo likes this.
  19. Kiana

    Goddamn, man child Prestigious

    We def need to encourage ppl to do it cause ppl act like boys need no lessons unless it's a creepy lesson on getting girls to sleep with them or something. That's all I ever seen in media. I hear people say all the time that they don't want to have girls because the way girls are sexualized, or they dread their daughters going on a first date or whatever. Yet nobody ever expresses worry about having a boy. There's a weird disconnect. Like people act as if girls are sooo much work and you can be more hands off with boys, but clearly that's not true.
     
  20. Guys Named Todd Jun 4, 2016
    (Last edited: Jun 4, 2016)
    Guys Named Todd

    Regular Prestigious

    Shit, I simultaneously want to cheer her for her bravery and cry for the truly fucked up scenario she had to live through. It's really disenheartening that we live in a world where anyone would stand up for a guy that could treat another person that way: even more so that it's not the first or last time.
     
    Carmensaopaulo likes this.
  21. kpatrickwood

    Give what you can.

    The putrid irony of defending a rapist with the phrase "suck it haters!" on the top of that page is just astounding.

    Kudos to her for clearly being one of the toughest people on the planet. That was as definitive of a verbal beat down as I've ever seen in the war on sexual assault.
     
    Carmensaopaulo likes this.
  22. Cola.

    I was such a looker in the old days Prestigious

    This made me so sad and so full of rage. 6 months? Bullshit. If there is justice in the world, someone will kill this bastard while he's doing his time. I know that may sound "harsh" but it's honestly what he deserves for not having an ounce of remorse in that pathetic little body of his.
     
    incognitojones likes this.
  23. nl5011

    Trusted Supporter

    This hurts. shame on our justice system and the twisted fucked society that feeds into it. We are going downhill fast, I hope that people start to wake up.
     
  24. Craig Manning Jun 4, 2016
    (Last edited: Jun 4, 2016)
    Craig Manning

    @FurtherFromSky Moderator

    Definitely. I have seen/heard/read so many people worry about having girls for those exact reasons, as if having a boy absolves you from having to care or worry about situations like these. If you have a son, it is literally your job to make sure that crimes like these don't happen. You might have the power and influence to make sure that someone else's daughter doesn't suffer the fate that you were always worried your theoretical daughter would.
     
  25. MexicanGuitars

    Chorus’ Expert on OTIP Track #8 Supporter

    My god, this is an insane, heartwrenching, enraging read. I can't fathom the kind of bravery it took to say all this, and the evil that allowed someone to do this in the first place all the way to administering that absolutely joke of a punishment.