In every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.

Approximately 60,000 children are victims of sexual assault each year.

From these statistics alone, one can identify that sexual assault is a massive issue, and recently has been brought to even more light with the accusations of countless well-known individuals.

The day before the Time Person of the Year (The Silence Breakers) was released, a journalism professor at New York University ensued that Republicans were more likely to be predators involved with sexual harassment than Democrats.

Because New York University is such a dominantly liberal school few are fazed when a negative remark about conservative ideas is made (professors influences with their opinions and biases said inside of the classroom is a separate issue). But, upon hearing this statement I was shocked. My jaw dropped, my eyes glared and I consciously fought the urge to scream across the room (something in which I now deeply regret not doing).

I looked at my fellow classmates, searching for looks of disdain, or at the very least discomfort. Instead, I found smirks and snickers. I wondered, is this a common ideology?

The cases that have arose in the previous months, and really throughout history, have concerned both predators and victims who are Democrats, Republicans, Independents. Unfortunately, anyone could be a predator, and anyone can fall victim to harassment. Exceptions are not made for people of a specific race, socioeconomic background or nationality.

Examples of accused Democrats: John Conyers Jr, Ruben Kihun, Al Franken.

Examples of accused Republicans: Blake Farenthold, Trent Franks, Roy Moore.

People in BOTH parties are at fault.

Are the political divisions in this nation so deep that our society has turned a blind eye to the fact that sexual assault is aHUMANissue?

These parties are encompassed by human beings, aka multilayered individuals who have the power to make their own decisions, regardless of which political party they identify with. And because of their different facets, people wrong and commit horrific crimes like sexual assault, for whatever reason.

The point is that corruption and lawlessness is not limited to conservatives or liberals.

Had my professor suggested that Democrats were more susceptible to be predators than Republicans, my jaw still would have dropped, my eyes still would have glared and I still would have had to consciously fight the urge to scream across the room.

Instead of focusing on how many people in which political party committed what, why not put our time and energy in finding a solution so there are ZERO sexual assaults a year and #metoo can cease to exist. Oh, what a world that would be...