Joe Biden to survivor of rape at Stanford: 'Your words are forever seared on my soul'

"I do not know your name — but I will never forget you."
 By 
Colin Daileda
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Vice President Joe Biden wrote an open letter to the survivor of sexual assault whose own words have been read by millions of people over the past week. 

In the letter, which Biden sent to Buzzfeed, the vice president said he is "in awe" of the courage it took for the unnamed 23-year-old woman to speak about all she has endured since she was sexually assaulted in 2015 by a former Stanford University student. It is titled "An Open Letter to a Courageous Young Woman."

"I do not know your name — but your words are forever seared on my soul," Biden wrote


You May Also Like

The vice president said the case -- in which former Stanford student Brock Turner was sentenced to six months in jail and probation for three counts of felony sexual assault -- has left him with "furious anger."

He wishes the woman had never had to speak out the way she did, but now that it has happened, Biden believes she has altered the landscape of how we talk about sexual assault.

"If everyone who shared your letter on social media, or who had a private conversation in their own homes with their daughters and sons, draws upon the passion, the outrage, and the commitment they feel right now the next time there is a choice between intervening and walking away — then I believe you will have helped to change the world for the better," he wrote.

You can read the full letter here

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.



Topics Joe Biden

Mashable Image
Colin Daileda

Colin is Mashable's US & World Reporter. He previously interned at Foreign Policy magazine and The American Prospect. Colin is a graduate from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. When he's not at Mashable, you can most likely find him eating or playing some kind of sport.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!