College. They say it’s the best four years of your life, right? It is characterized by cranking out hours upon hours of homework, cracking open cheap beer and creating friends that are said to last a lifetime. It’s an experience unmatched by any other as you find yourself in a sea of students trying to figure out “who am I?” “what will I be?” “where am I going?” etc. etc. So much information is fed into our brains that it’s hard to swallow and at times, even more difficult to digest.
Well, I need you to stop whatever you are doing and focus on this. Put your smartphone away, you can text back later. Take those headphones out of your ears and absorb this message. Read these words with the full intent of comprehending and learning from them.
College is supposed to be incredible, right? Well, for many it is. But for others, college can be a very dangerous place once you get past the glamour of tailgates and 4.0-ing Chemistry exams.
According to The New York Times, 1 in 4 college women are sexually assaulted within their four years of attending a university. That means 25% of the females on campus will fall victim to sexual assault within the 48 months they recognize themselves as undergraduate students. Even more on a campus of 50,000, almost 13,000 women will be taken advantage of by most likely someone they know either as friends, acquaintances or simply passed by in a lecture hall. And men, don’t think you are excluded from this. Anyone can be a victim.
Oh, so you’ve heard this all before? It won’t be you? Well, that doesn’t mean it can’t be. The statistics are climbing and yet it still seems that not much is being done to prevent this horrible act from happening as students nationwide are being preyed upon and traumatized. The topic of sexual assault has been ingrained in campus culture. This is something many students are aware of, so why is it still so prevalent?
Well, for one, this whole hook-up, blackout culture we, as millennials, have allowed ourselves to continue to endure has led to too much alcohol consumption, blurred lines and unacceptable acts that continue to be committed. Let’s unite in a campaign: Enough is enough.
Sexual assault is extremely serious and something needs to be done before it’s too late. So whether you participate in different clubs or organizations around campus, you are a member of Greek life, you are working part-time while getting your degree; take a stand against this heinous crime and do something about it.
Remember, what we were taught in school and/or by our parents; Don’t let your friends walk home alone (or yourself for that matter). Follow your gut instinct when you see something fishy and go help. Recognize signs of abuse and don’t be afraid to say something. And please, understand your alcohol limits that impair your judgment and avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable situation.
As college students, we have so many things already clouding our brains as we determine who we are, how to pass this or that class, what we are doing with our lives or something as inconsequential as to why he hasn’t texted. Yet these questions can all seem so trivial compared to the detrimental and long-term emotional effects of being a victim of sexual assault, a beating or stalking.
One in four women will be sexually assaulted in their four years in college IF we do not make a change in our judgement and get involved in awareness. Think about it. She could be your best friend, sorority or biological sister, cousin, teaching assistant, classmate or even your favorite barista at Starbucks. So, the most important question is: What will you do to make a difference in lowering the statistic? What will you do to protect the ones you love from being a victim?
