Brock Turner case impacts colleges across the nation

Vanesa Montalvo, Staff Writer

Lately, the media has been flooded with news stories and updates on the controversial Brock Turner case.

Brock Turner, former Stanford University student-athlete, has impacted college campuses throughout the nation. Turner was sentenced for only six months after being found guilty in March for sexually assaulting an unconscious, intoxicated, female outside a fraternity party in January 2015, according to a story posted by the Washington Post.

Yet, he was released early from his sentence and only served three months out of the six. It is stories of injustice like these that make our college campuses feel like an unsafe place.

Many say that Turner’s case is a case of privilege. Thanks to the color of his skin, social class, and his gender, he was able to get away with only serving three months. When in reality, the act that he committed should have gotten Turner the maximum sentence that he could receive.
As a community, it is important that we stick together and do everything that we can to avoid scenarios like these from happening on campus.

In order to prevent sexual assault, students should be aware of the resources and policies that Linfield has to offer. Being educated on this topic and knowing where to find help when needed is the best way to prevent sexual assault on or off campus.

“Linfield constantly impresses me with the steps that we take to improve student safety and prevent sexual misconduct,” said Kara Kepple, Coordinator of Student Health and Wellness Programs at Linfield.

Linfield’s misconduct policy ensures that students are given fair treatment and are supported every step of the way. “We ensure that students will be safe and taken care of if a situation of sexual assault happens on campus,” said Keeple.

At the beginning of every school year, new students are taught about Linfield’s policies and how to intervene in situations, including potential assaults, according to Kepple.

The Consent Awareness Training Squad, also known as C.A.T.S, teaches the new students. They are a group of student leaders at Linfield that are trained to educate other students on how to prevent sexual assault. They are just one, out of the many resources that Linfield has to offer in order to prevent sexual misconduct.

Keeping in mind that reports can be made anonymously, Kepple encourages students who have experienced sexual assault to report it to the college. Linfield wants to ensure that students are safe and that our campus is a secure place to reside in.

“I also encourage students who are frustrated about cases such as Brock Turners’, to speak out and become involved with sexual assault prevention; join C.A.T.S, go to events that talk about these issues, and keep the conversation going,” said Keeple.