I remember sitting in my orientation for my first year of college. I was laughing along with my new friends I had met earlier that week as we were being shown a video about bystander intervention and the risks of sexual assault. The video was unbelievably cheesy and the music used was downright terrible, but I will never forget that video. And I will never forget thinking that something like that could never happen to me.

Sexual assault, especially on college campuses, is a huge issue. I have met many people who downplay it and even just downright refuse to acknowledge it as a problem. One in six women and one in 33 men are the victims of a sexual assault; a sexual assault can range from rape to unwanted sexual touching. The Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, or RAINN, found that approximately every 107 seconds a sexual assault occurs. If you think about those statistics, 17 percent of the women and 3 percent of the men you know have been a victim. It is very likely you already know a victim of sexual assault; however, they may not be ready to come forward.

Sexual assault and rape victims often face battles with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Things that were once seemingly harmless can turn into triggers and cause a victim to re-experience their assault, have a panic attack or go into social withdrawal. Many survivors are scared to come forward due to the shame and blame society puts on survivors and the fear that their assailant will retaliate. Coming forward to report their stories calls for them to actively relive their trauma over and over while school officials and police officers delve into their personal lives.

April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month or SAAM. America has recognized SAAM since 2001 and has taken great strides in trying to improve the lives of survivors, encouraging people to reach out for help and making the process of reporting easier for college students. However, many people are unaware of the reporting process or are too scared to come forward. There is still a long way to go, and it’s on us. It’s on us to end the rape culture; it’s on us to not be bystanders and to take action; it’s on us to not blame the victim and instead support them.

When survivors come forward with their stories and share what they went through, it is terrifying. It is impossible to predict how people will react. Will you receive a positive, supportive response? Or will you be overwhelmed with questions like what were you wearing? How much did you have to drink? Did you lead him on? These types of questions contribute to the rape culture. It’s critical to be supportive of those who have the courage to come forward, instead of belittling their stories, making them feel ashamed and putting the blame for what happened on them.

I am a survivor of sexual assault; I am not a victim. I'm not just a statistic; I am a daughter, a sister, an athlete, a teammate, a student, a musician, a sorority woman and so much more. After struggling with depression, fear of how others would look at me and the humiliation I once felt, I am no longer ashamed of what happened to me and I am not afraid to speak about it. It has shaped who I am as a person today and given me the opportunity to take something negative and turn it into life experience.

As you walk around campus and see all the familiar and unfamiliar faces pass you by, I hope that you will keep in mind that everyone is fighting their own battles. While you may not actively hear about it, sexual assault is a problem on college campuses; it is a problem that needs to be solved by college communities and not just individuals. We need to support our survivors and let them know they are not alone in their fight; it’s on us.

For more information about sexual assault visit https://rainn.org/.

For more information about the It's On Us campaign visit http://itsonus.org/.

If you or a loved one has been assaulted or affected by assault and needs to talk, the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline offers confidential support.

If you're interested in learning more about reporting on college campuses, visit http://endrapeoncampus.org/title-ix/ to learn about the Title IX process.