I am with you

Dear Warrior,

I was scrolling through The Washington Post’s homepage when I came across your story. Well, more like a distorted version of it. The headline was “All-American swimmer found guilty of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on Stanford Campus.” All-American swimmer. Sexually assaulting an unconscious woman. There are two major problems with this misleading headline. First off, why is The Washington Post unnecessarily prioritizing Brock Turner’s achievement over what happened?! Secondly, the phrase “sexual assault” assuages the severity of the crime he committed … Why is The Washington Post protecting Brock Turner and not calling him by who he really is, a rapist?! However, what angered me the most was the actual content of this deplorable article. The writer, Michael E. Miller, was extremely biased. Miller focused on Brock Turner’s accomplishments and how now he does not have a future for two reasons: an alcohol-infused night and because of you, an unconscious, drunk woman:

“Turner was a member of Stanford’s varsity swim team, one of the best in the country. He was an All-American swimmer in high school in Ohio, so good that he tried out for the U.S. Olympic team before he could vote.

Suddenly he was accused of rape.”

Miller depicted you as this woman hell bent on destroying the future of a promising athlete: “Suddenly he was accused of rape.” Furthermore, Miller victim blamed you throughout the article:

“The victim was so intoxicated at the time of the incident, for example, that she didn’t wake up for at least three hours afterward and had a blood-alcohol level more than triple the legal driving limit.”

I just couldn’t believe what I was reading! I combed through the rest of articles having to do with your story and what I found astounded me. A majority of the articles did the same thing Miller did. Article after article dealt with “the downfall of Brock Turner” and not the night that altered the life of a young woman. Didn’t the media realize that you also had a future? But the media always does this. Society always does this. Why are girls taught how not to get raped but don’t teach boys to not rape? I am angry. I am hurt. But I can just imagine how you must feel when you come across “articles” like this one.

But then I came across your powerful statement to Brock and it home…

I am with you.

I am with you when you start remembering small, triggering details.

I am with you when you had to repeat that night to strangers.

I am with you when you start regretting going there that night.  

I am with you when you can’t stop crying.

I am with you when you pretend to be okay and put on that fake smile.  

I am with you when people don’t believe you.

I am with you when people are convinced with his “side” of the story.

I am with you when people start blaming you.

I am with you when people try to make you doubt yourself.  

I am with you when you feel disgusted with your body.

I am with you when you start feeling him on your body.

I am with you when you’re scared of the dark and wait until the sun to rise in order to sleep.

I am with you when you’re feeling helpless, angry, tired, irritable, empty.

I am with you when you become angry with the outcome of the case.

But that is not all.

I am with you when you feel thankful for the people that stuck through all this with you.

I am with you when you smile and laugh.

I am with you when you’re moving on with life.

I am with you because you are a warrior.   

Sincerely,

A survivor