An introduction usually implies that there will—eventually—be an ending. Except this is one of those rare cases where there most likely may never be an ending.
I was doing well and finishing off my junior year of high school. I had good grades, good friends and an all-around robust life. I hadn’t realized how truly blessed I was to have loving parents, a loving family, and profoundly fantastic friends. But none of this really mattered to me at the time. I wasn’t focused on all of the great things I had but on all of the bad things that I had and that had been happening around me.
These unwelcome thoughts continued until one day, around maybe early May, I saw a sign on a church board stating, “If you think you’re poor, count your blessings." It wasn’t until then when I realized it was time to stop being upset over things and time to make a change.
Sexual assault affects women and men of any gender, race, orientation or sexual identity. It is not about love, nor affection. Sexual assault is solely based on power. A power to feel in control. Sexual assault on college campuses is growing yearly and the numbers continue to rise as universities fail to file complaints and falsely report. According to the United States Department of Justice, statistically, on college campuses, one in every three women will be sexually assaulted or raped and about 6 percent of men will be sexually assaulted or raped by the time they graduate.
Many colleges and universities advise victims not to report to the authorities and rather to talk to a counselor that the school has hired. Many schools understand that if they report each case, their numbers and rates for campus assault will go up, further hurting the reputation of the institution. But who cares about these young men and women, right? They’ll get over it and move on, but the reputation of the school is forever! How inconsiderate of these victims to ask for justice and rights!
Sexual assault is an easy thing to overlook. It’s uncomfortable. Nobody likes to talk about rape and nobody likes to think about it. People love to make jokes because they feel it lightens the mood, but the truth is, victims and survivors are not your punchline.
The documentary "The Hunting Ground" was produced in 2015. The film touches base on the stats and stories of real victims of sexual assault and rape on their college campus. It was chilling, to say the least. After watching, I felt all of those grueling thoughts slowly make their way back into my mind and remind me how hopeless I really felt. It’s easier to feel stuck when such a big problem feels unstoppable. Sexual assault and rape are unstoppable, but it is preventable.
Instead of teaching young girls that their bodies are to be hidden due to the distraction they may cause boys, teach them to embrace their identity and dress how they please. Stop teaching children that when someone is mean to them, it’s because they have a crush. Stop teaching them that violence of any kind is okay. Educate children about the stats, educate them on what to do and educate them on how to intervene safely.
I would recommend "The Hunting Ground" to anyone and everyone, and, in fact, I have, for the most part. It has all the feelings and emotions I have always felt wrapped up into a film of an hour and 40 minutes. It is a film that will make you cry tears of sorrow and joy. It is a film that will instill the deepest and strongest feeling of empowerment in you. It will make you want to make a change. It will encourage you to stand up and take action. It will unite you with those already on board. It is a film that I hold near and dear to my heart.
After watching the film, I looked it up and read some information about the documentary, how it was made, why it was made, and most importantly, what I could do to make a change.
So, I started small. I took the pledge at http://itsonus.org to stand up for the prevention/education of sexual assault, to promise to not be a bystander in any situation, to promise to speak up and intervene when I see something and to be a friend/ally to anyone seeking help or guidance. You too can take this pledge, it’s free and can’t hurt. You can share it on Twitter, or Facebook, or any social platform you see fit.
Sexual assault isn’t just a problem. It’s your problem, it’s my problem, everyone’s problem. It’s on us to help those who have been victims and survivors and to help prevent further victims. It’s on us to realize that although sexual assault may not always be a physically noticeable, sometimes, there aren’t any signs that this has happened to someone. It’s on us to create a society and environment where victims feel safe and comfortable talking about it if they need to. It’s on us to stand up against sexual assault. It’s on us to create a difference so powerful that it will change the lives of millions.
