Is 'college experience' synonymous with rape culture?

Editor's note: Some photos below may be NSFW.

A Massachusetts teenager was found guilty of sexually assaulting two classmates earlier this week, but avoided a jail sentence, prompting some to question how this will affect rape cases moving forward.

The decision, which comes on the heels of Stanford student Brock Turner’s six-month jail sentence for sexual assault, calls for David Becker, 18, to serve two years of probation, remain drug and alcohol-free, and stay away from the victims, Mass Live reported. 

Becker’s attorney Thomas Rooke praised the decision in court and said his client, who is a “three-sport athlete” can now look forward to the “college experience," a phrase synonymous with party culture.

Outrage over sentencing of Mass. teen accused of rape

Psychotherapist Robi Ludwig said college campuses and parents should be talking to students about these cases and about rape.

"There has to be zero tolerance," she said.

Ludwig said rape seems to be happening now more than ever, because of "access to pornography," "devaluing of women" and messages in pop culture. Students, who haven't developed a sense of judgement, are "acting out fantasies," she said.

"Kids are discovering who they are, and they will make missteps," Ludwig said.

This comes at a time when some students are heading back to campus.

Recently, Stanford University, which is not currently in session, announced hard alcohol, not beer or wine, is now prohibited at undergraduate student parties. Critics said the action wouldn’t have an effect on sexual assaults.

But, the school is dedicating resources to preventing sexual assaults. Lisa Lapin, associate vice president of university communications at Stanford, said the school plans to “an additional $2.7 million to sexual assault prevention and education programs, as well as victim support” this year. Lapin said none of these changes are not in response to the Brock Turner case.

In a statement following Turner’s sentencing in June, Stanford said “there is still much work to be done, not just here, but everywhere, to create a culture that does not tolerate sexual violence in any form and a judicial system that deals appropriately with sexual assault cases.”

Several colleges around the country have already struggled with sexually offensive posters hung on off-campus housing already this year.

Laiali Alassaf, a senior linguistics student at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio shared a Facebook post on Friday describing her outrage at the offensive signs. In the post, she included screenshots of images of the signs hanging on off-campus houses.

These signs "can make or break a college experience," making some student feel unsafe, and normalize sexual assault.

"Women ... like myself, I’m sure, already feel a little on edge whenever they are walking alone at night on campus, and flashing back to signs like this reinforce a worrying feeling," she wrote in a message to USA TODAY.

Alassaf believes that rape culture is a problem among the Ohio University student body and says she carries pepper spray everywhere.

A reporter from The Athens News saw at least five offensive banners between two streets last week at Ohio University.

OU president Roderick McDavis said "We are better than this, Bobcats!" in a campus wild email, The Post reports.

The signs, which violate the city's Code of Ordinances have been taken down (and continue to be taken down) by Athens Police Department.

Last year, Old Dominion University present John R. Broderick said he was outraged by similar signs around the Virginia campus.

"While we constantly educate students, faculty and staff about sexual assault and sexual harassment, this incident confirms our collective efforts are still failing to register with some," he said in a statement on Facebook.

Barstool Sports, a men's lifestyle blog, has also reposted photos from University of Dayton and Texas A&M on Instagram.