Rape has become a huge controversial issue around the world, and as the Brock Turner case has surfaced, it has definitely become a scary topic of conversation in America. Between normal people's opinions that girls should just obviously keep their legs closed and political figure, Paul Ryan's, idea that rape is just "another form of conception," I believe there should be some clarification upon the ideas of the causes of rape, the outcomes of victims, and the conclusion of cases.

Who is to blame for rape? Who causes the rape? Women are being blamed for assault on themselves because of what they are wearing, how they are acting, what they are drinking. A short skirt is not an invitation for a sexual encounter, and if a boy thinks so, he is mistaken. No woman should be scared to wear what they please because a boy might think that means they are all in for some action. If a girl is outgoing or friendly, if she is intoxicated and unable to think through her actions, no still means no. Hesitation, "I'm not sure", a shrug of the shoulders... None of these mean yes and none of these give boys the right to pursue a woman sexually.

And yes, I keep saying "boy" because I believe that the perpetrators of rape are far from men. If they believe a woman is consenting due to what she is wearing or if they can just not resist a woman because of how she presents herself, then those boys can not be called men. If those "men" just can not resist their raging hormones, at any age, and are blaming women for that problem, then in my opinion, they are not respectable adults in any manner, and they are far less than the definition of a "man."

Rapists can be strangers, friends, spouses, partners, family members... Just because a woman is in a relationship with a man, that does not give him free reign over her body. No man owns any woman. No body is property based off of a label. If one says no when sex is offered, no matter the relationship status, then that is rejection. Dating is not an automatic yes to sexual acts at any time. Consent never disappears, no matter how long a couple has dated.

In Texas, it is reported that 6,000-7,000 rape kits have not been tested. 6,000-7,000 victims could be waiting for justice while these forcible acts continue to pass by the justice system without proper notice. Ninety-seven percent of rapists are not incarcerated for the acts they commit. They have caused torture upon victims physically and mentally, and they walk free beside people like you and me. They roam this earth among our friends, our sisters, and brothers, our children without being punished at all for the sickening crime they have committed. Victims are not getting the help they need or the proof they need in order to find justice in their situations, and yet rapists are living freely with no form of retribution. Sickening.

One in five women have a chance of being sexually abused in their lifetime. You do not know who has been affected by these acts around you. Do not be blind to the statistics. Notice this problem and take a part in fixing it. Teach your family members, your friends, your children what rape is. Do not blame the victims for any part of the act. Practice the idea that "no means no" and share it with the people you care about. Rape can be prevented, and the fact that it is even a bit accepted and skewed in this culture is disgusting. For the sake of the victims that have experienced the torment and torture of rape, take a stand on this issue. Let's get rid of rape.