I am tired of such horrible crimes going without punishment. It is time that we step up against sexual assault and be the difference in someone's life.

For as long as I can remember sexual harassment has been an issue. As kids were taught "don't talk to strangers" and went over our "no no square" and how that was our special spot that no one was supposed to touch it. We were told to watch for people who looked suspicious and that we were to speak up if anyone ever touched us the wrong way.

As we got older we were given more real details. More realistic ways of protecting ourselves and what to watch out for. We were taught that it is never our fault and that it is okay to speak up. But what if we don't feel safe speaking up? What if we jeopardize losing something we need by speaking up? What if we spoke up and nothing happened? What if we were told to suck it up and that it was our fault, we were asking for it? What if we were told that we put ourselves in this situation because of the way we looked that night? What happens if they tell me it's okay because I didn't say no, but what if I didn't say yes either. As ridiculous as some of these things may sound they've all happened.

Sexual harassment victims all over the world have been told that it was their fault or have been threatened into shame and silence.

Our jobs are a direct link to our lifestyle and living conditions in most cases so losing it may not always be an option and employers know this, especially in show business and athletics. Not giving someone the part or not playing the athlete could ruin their entire career all because they wanted to feel a certain way about something. Don't be fooled employers are fully aware of the power that the have being in the place that they are.

We are bred to believe that how we dress shows what kind of person we are. We are told not to judge based off looks but we all do it whether we realize it or not. If someone saw a girl on the street in some short shorts and a crop top we would all automatically judge her, saying things like, "what is she wearing?", "why is she dressed like a hoe", and "who let her think that was ok?". As if what we think matters, or as if dressing a certain way or in smaller or tighter clothes makes someone a hoe. Mindsets like these are the ones that leave the victims of sexual assault between a rock and a hard place. They are stick between wanting to tell someone because they know that they should and being shamed into feeling as though it was their fault. Feeling as if they are alone and no one will understand or help them men and women go silent and hold onto such pain and trauma all because we as a society have things so upside down and backwards.

Take Lupita Nyong'o for example, she was one of some 25 odd women who came out and spoke about Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault on them. But it was not until after other women started to speak up that she felt safe enough to say something about what happened to her. A well-known, world famous actress who thousands of people adore, was a victim of this disgusting crime. As a woman who plays such strong, and empowered lead roles you would think that she would have no problem stepping up and speaking out right away, but even she was afraid. Whether it was fear for her life or her career this man made her feel as though she had no other choice but to keep this heinous act under wraps.

Because of these horrible crimes and victims such as Nyong'o movements like, "Times Up", "It's on Us", and "Me Too" have formed to help those who have been hurt and traumatized by this awful events cope, come forward, and try to put an end to this madness that lives in our society.

Did you know that 1 in 3 women ages 18 to 34 have been sexually harassed at work and 71% of them didn't report it? Or that 11.2 of ALL students experience rape or sexual assault. What about that 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men have been sexually assaulted while in college. How about that in every 8 out of 10 rape cases the victim knew their perpetrator. The heartbreaking statistics only continue to go on and get more and more upsetting.

We as people, friends, family, teammates neighbors, whatever we are to one another need to come together to help those who have been through such a terrible experience. We have to come together to give them justice and to find ways to protect and hopefully prevent people from future rapes. Even if it is just spreading awareness of the statistics and getting more people to stand up against these awful offenses. There are hundreds and hundreds of ways that we as people can help put a stop to these terrible crimes.

It is becoming entirely too common for rapists to "get off easy" per say. Minimal sentences or being let go completely even after knowing full well they did such a horrendous deed. Set free to continue about their lives possibly and often times in most cases continuing to sexually assault others that cross their path.

We need to make a more comfortable and inviting environment for victims to come forward and report what has been done to them so we can give them justice. Things will only get better if we make it known that it is okay, that we will do our best to protect you and that it's not your fault, and that we will do what we can to get you the justice that you deserve will we see change. If and only then will things truly start to make a difference, when people start to care. So that way the Lupita Nyong'o's, Gabbi Douglas', Lucy Hales, and Gabriella Unions, of the world feel comfortable enough to stand up for themselves and then like dominoes, one by one people will start to feel the same and then together we will begin to be the difference.

Be the change you want to see.