It’s been a little over a month since Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos released a statement calling for a re-evaluation of the Obama administration’s work with dealing with on-campus sexual assault cases.

As an advocate and a feminist, her actions appal me. Clearly, not enough is being done to help and support victims of sexual violence but rolling back on campus sexual assault guidelines seems entirely backwards. There should be only one stance on this issue, and that is protecting the victim. Anything less comes with a connotation attached. A sliver of doubt or distrust that eventually sours and ferments. Maybe her experience wasn’t “real” enough, maybe it didn’t fit the stereotypical image of what assault is “supposed” looks like, maybe she was asking for it, maybe she were drunk, maybe she was lying, maybe it’s not as bad as she said it was.

Devos’s argument is that people accused of sexual assault are often wrongfully accused, which is indeed something that happens, and is a valid point that needs to be considered. However, when looking at the statistics and the data, it’s really quite astonishing the number of sexual assault and rape cases where the perpetrator goes unpunished or unconvicted. According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, America’s biggest anti-sexual violence organization, “out of every 1000 rapes, 994 perpetrators will walk free." They go on to say that in 2015 only 31% of rapes were actually reported to police.

The argument isn’t that “people accused of sexual assault shouldn’t be given legal rights," the problem is that the presidential administration is overlooking the fact that the playing field is severely tilted in favor of perpetrators over the victims. It seems that in the statements and actions Devos is making, she is willing to make it harder than it already is for victims to get justice and feel safe in their campus community. Not only is it incredibly traumatic for those assaulted to have gone through the horrendous experience, entering the legal process is even harder.

What makes things worse is the perpetuation of this idea of “rape culture." Rape culture is defined by the Women’s Center at Marshall University as “an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture." Encouraged by sexist language and the objectification of women in media and television, rape culture is prevalent nearly everywhere. And its effects are immediate and powerful.

The constant fear of assault is something every woman I know has faced. I never walk alone at night, even if it’s just across the Washington Avenue Bridge. Most girls don’t go to parties alone and watch to make sure their friends don’t leave with someone they don’t know. Nearly every girl on my floor has a small red pocket-sized bottle of pepper spray on her keychain.

A message to Betsy Devos: by reducing the requirements for universities to prevent and deal with sexual assault, you make my campus less safe. Encouraging men’s activist groups, brushing victims’ stories under the rug, and scaling back investigations not only discourages but actually prevents people from coming forward and demanding the justice they deserve. You may try to change or halt the progress that has been made over the years, but you will not stop the activists and people that defend and stand up for those who don’t have a voice.

Because the University of Minnesota deserves a campus that takes a solid stance against sexual assault, not one tips the scale in favor of the perpetrator.