One in five in their lifetime. One in four in college. 25%. Women. United we stand in the pursuit to put an end to sexual assault. However, the recent day in which “me too” was plastered all over social media hardly showed the number of women impacted by sexual harassment and assault.

Posting “me too” is not putting a stop to sexual assault. Yes, the power of the #metoo trending posts were inspiring. It is always reassuring to know that one has a community of individuals who understand them and what I will call their “emotional baggage”. Yes, it is invigorating to see how women can stand up and speak out and say we are not victims we are survivors.

But what about those who didn’t stand up? What about those who didn’t speak up? What about those survivors who still feel like victims? What about those survivors who feel like they are alone in this battle against ending sexual harassment and assault? What about those women who are still afraid to walk alone at night? Walk across campus after a party at 3:00 in the morning? Who are afraid of turning a street corner for fear of running into a man? Do we acknowledge this type of woman too when looking at #metoo?

I ask this because, I too, fall into that category. As I saw “me too” all over my Instagram feed I didn’t think that I could post it like all of these strong women around me. The experiences I’ve had surely aren’t enough to make me a victim, let alone a survivor, right?

I’ve walked through the city and gotten catcalled to no avail. I’ve been kissed even when I’ve made it clear that I wasn’t interested. I’ve been screamed at by past boyfriends, told that I am crazy, and have been manipulated to no end. I have been terrified of a man hitting me. I’ve been whistled at, so loudly that I could hear it through the loud pounding of music through my Apple headphones.

I’ve walked across campus at night nervous about something happening to me because I am always hearing about campus assaults and am always assured to be aware of my surroundings. I have had men stare at me and my friends as we are walking to get breakfast in the morning. I have had male teachers discriminate against me because I am a woman.

And lastly, I have seen too many of my friends be victims of sexual assault.

But with all of that under consideration, I never really have considered myself to be a victim of sexual harassment.

Most women in my position would probably feel the same way which is why I didn’t see more “me too” posts surrounding my Instagram feed last week. This is due in part to one huge reason- the way in which we as women have been brought up.

From a young age, the phrase “boys will be boys” has been tossed around almost excusing the potential behaviors that these young men could grow up to partake in. I have heard this phrase in the classroom from teachers, on television, at soccer games on the sidelines, but never out of the mouths of either of my parents. They raised three boys before I was brought into this world and they raised my brothers to be respectable young men who value women and treat them with respect.

For this reason and this reason alone, I do not hate men. I love my brothers and I know that there have to be respectable gentlemen left in this world. But the only way to ensure that more men like my brothers’ exist is through educating them on the proper way to treat not only women alone, but everyone. We need to be aware of what no means, what is right and wrong, what is respectful, and what is just the right way to behave as a human being in this world.

We need to put an end to the statistics surrounding assault. We need to lessen a number of women who live in fear of being alone in the night. The women who have chills run down their spin every time a man catcalls her, no matter how conservative or provocative she’s dressed needs to diminish. Women who have said no when drunk, need to be heard, loud and clear.

And women who report rape need to have justice. Whether harassed, assaulted, or impacted in the slightest, we all must stand up and put an end to the treatment that we as a collective human species have been receiving and partaking in. And because I didn’t post it on social media, and because I didn’t have a story to share, I chose now to speak out. As a woman, as a receiver of backlash from men, as a friend, as a supporter, I understand you. Because, well, me too.