A Letter by the Stanford Rapist's Dad Is Going Viral — For the Worst Reason

On June 2, former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner was sentenced to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious, intoxicated woman at a fraternity party in January 2015. The victim, whose name has been kept private, wrote a letter to her attacker that she read aloud in court — it quickly went viral for its powerful nature and the detail in which it recounts the aftermath of the horrific act.

Turner's father also wrote a letter, pleading the judge for a lenient sentence. It too is going viral — for being insensitive.

In the letter, he calls the rape "20 minutes of action" and says his son has suffered in the months following the sexual assault. He can tell because Brock doesn't eat steaks or pretzel chips like he used to.

RAPE CULTURE: Brock Turner's dad is sad he only got "20 minutes of action" & doesn't even like eating steaks anymore pic.twitter.com/eQswM8Lb11

— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) June 5, 2016

You can see some of Twitter's responses to the letter:

No one is ever going to have to explain class privilege again. They can just flash a copy of that letter from Brock Turner's dad from now on

— Cameron Kelsall (@CameronPKelsall) June 6, 2016

Too many awful things about #brockturner and his dad's statement to fit-'it was just one rape' is too 10 #rapeisrape https://t.co/Pa3SVu0qBC

— Priska Komaromi (@priskakomaromi) June 6, 2016

Dear Brock Turner's dad:

'20 minutes of action' is how you talk about a Hollywood blockbuster.

Not your horrible rapist son.

— (((Mark Campbell))) (@MrWordsWorth) June 6, 2016

[cw rape] Let's say Brock Turner's dad is telling the truth and Turner's life is ruined and he's suffering. Good. I hope his life is hell.

— Another Angry Woman (@stavvers) June 6, 2016

Read Turner's entire plea here. The case has garnered national attention for what many believe is much too short of a sentence for the crime.