Growing up a female, I was always expected to follow a certain set of rules; never walk alone at night, be aware of your surroundings, don't show too much skin. I explicitly remember when I was about twelve years old, my family was watching a soccer game at Elon University. I got up to go to the bathroom. I washed my hands and was pulling paper towels out of the paper towel dispenser with my back to the door. I heard the door open and felt hands on my shoulders. I shrieked before I realized that it was only my mother. I waited for her and as we walked back to the soccer field, she told me about how I needed to be aware of my surroundings just in case. I remember thinking that it was my responsibility to keep myself safe.

In a way, it is my responsibility. I understand the risk and unfortunately, incidents of rape occur far too often in our society. However, it in no way should be. I should not have to be worried about my safety every time I walk into a bar. I should not feel uncomfortable in a room full of grown men. I should not be subject to the victim-blaming and body-shaming that have become pivotal points in counting the legacy of rape culture.

Especially in college, there are far too many incidents. Even recently, rape culture has been so prevalent. With cases such as Brock Turner's and Jacob Anderson's resulting in light punishment, even the justice system tells victims that their trauma isn't significant enough to warrant more than a slap on the wrist. I remember having to take multiple alcohol and hazing education modules before coming to school. There was a large emphasis on how to avoid sexual harassment and how to stop it if you see it. We are a society so desensitized to rape culture that, if it wasn't our reality, it may be laughable.

I don't want to live my life in fear of what could happen to me at a party. I don't want to think about how I would go about telling others about the trauma I faced. I don't want to feel embarrassed when a guy, uninvited, rubs his hand up and down my thigh when I'm trying to have lunch with my friends. I don't want to have to be afraid of what would happen if I say no. But I do. I have to worry about these things because our society doesn't take the problems raised because of rape culture seriously.

So how do we change the justice system or the law in order to feel safe in our communities? Rape culture surrounds us continuously and until we change the mindset of those in power, nothing will happen. We need to be taken seriously. Our opinions and experiences need to be heard.