In the early hours on January 18, former swimming star, 19-year old-Brock Turner, was caught sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on the University of Stanford’s campus. Two men riding bikes nearby caught Turner and chased him down and were able to restrain him until the police arrived. Turner was arrested and jailed that night, but was later released on bail for $150,000. Previously this week, Turner pled not guilty in his first court appearance to the five felonies he is being charged with. Turner stated in a police interview that he attended a fraternity party that evening where he had been drinking and later “hooked up” with the unconscious woman. The former Olympic trailist withdrew from Stanford and is now banned from campus. He is also not allowed to ever re-enroll there as a student.
This situation is just another reminder as to why the It’s On Us campaign is so important, especially on college campuses. Topics like sexual assault aren’t typically the easiest or nicest thing to talk about, but it still happens and with It’s On Us, they make it a responsibility for other students to help or notify authorities when something like this takes place. Luckily, the two men riding around that night on Stanford’s campus took the initiative to intervene and stop the act that Turner was performing, which happens to be one of the things others can do to create an environment where sexual assault is not tolerated.
For more information about It’s On Us, visit http://itsonus.org/#top
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-stanford-swimmer-pleads-not-…
Photo source: http://www.stanford.edu/about/