One frightening thing about being a woman in America is that our rights, despite living in the 21st century, are still deliberated by groups of white, elite men around large oval tables in the White House. An even more frightening implication of this is that many laws concerning inherently female issues like abortion and birth control (and even sexual abuse) are determined solely by privileged men that are unaware, or rather ignorant, of how serious these topics are.

Last April, the Trump administration made the decision to completely change the definitions of sexual assault and domestic violence in the Justice Department. This has been kept quiet from the public until it resurfaced last week, when articles began to circulate and when I only became aware because one of my friends messaged me about it.

The definition now only considers physical harm as a crime punishable under domestic violence. Other intangible forms of violence, including psychological abuse and manipulation, no longer belong under the category. In other words, they aren't even considered punishable anymore.

The reason why this is so terrifying is that, frequently, women from my age group have to deal with this BS. I have heard stories of overbearing boyfriends involving people I know, and the thought that these men could easily get away with their toxic actions with this new ruling of the Trump administration is absolutely ridiculous and unjust.

Trump has also made the definition of sexual assault much vaguer, changing a very expansive definition to just a mere sentence. The new definition reads:

"The term "sexual assault" means any non-consensual sexual act proscribed by Federal, tribal, or State law, including when the victim lacks the capacity to consent."

That's it. A line to describe a crime that happens to thousands of women in America every year, with one case happening every 98 seconds.

This is a huge step backward for ALL women, whether or not you choose to label yourself a feminist. Domestic and sexual violence expert Holly Taylor-Dunn says this ruling takes us a whopping 50 years back and warns that other nations like the United Kingdom may follow suit.

This is definitely an issue that would spark nationwide outrage and subsequent protests, but the Trump administration has somehow managed to keep it hidden from the public for almost an entire year. However, this definitely is a large issue that needs to be addressed and furthermore, awareness needs to be spread.

Another reason why this issue hasn't gained much broadcasting is probably that domestic violence afflicts more women of color, and it is very evident that white feminism prevails in our nation. I'm not calling anyone out, but it is very evident that issues that affect more women of color receive less attention and coverage in the media.

Sexual assault is a very serious and unfortunately rampant issue, but to the privileged individuals in the White House, it's just another clause to vote on. Women aren't pieces of meat, and we deserve to be able to a part of the making of laws that revolve around our bodies, our safety, and our lives.