Mr. Jerrett, I am writing to thank you on behalf of the justice system for writing a straight-forward and hard-hitting opinion article on the topic of acquaintance rape [“Rape prevention is everyone’s business”].

You are quite right when you observe that young men will not listen to this message if presented by someone like me: a woman in the position of championing victims of the offense and prosecuting the perpetrators.

But maybe, just maybe, they will listen to you.

I know that the universal problem of objectifying a whole group of people in order to excuse behavior toward them is never solved easily or quickly, but your article was certainly a step in the right direction.

Mary E. Richards

Story County attorney