It is thrown into conversation as if it were nothing but a few letters linked together.

At times, people find ways to incorporate it into a joke or as an insult towards someone else.

Merriam Webster's dictionary defines rape as "to seize and take away by force."

According to the Rape Incest and National Abuse Network (RAINN), an American is sexually assaulted roughly every two minutes.

These assaults result in psychological and sometimes physiological traumas. These traumas range from self-harm to flashbacks of the event and even depression.

I never even considered the possibility of these types of horrific acts being common, yet through my 21 years of life, I can fill up both hands with the people I have known to experience these crimes.

For many people, including myself, this topic hits home. The use of the word is not a game and it should never ever be treated as anything less than the serious matter that it is.

So next time you consider uttering statements in jest such as "she basically raped him", "the team got raped, they lost by 40 points" or "I'd let you rape me", stop for a moment.

Consider the fact that "rape" (an actual real life occurrence) scars victims, who are also real people. Because of it, they have to carry this burden with them for the rest of their lives. The memory of the act cannot be shaken, as these people have to live with what happened to them.

Luckily, the victims I have known, are wonderfully strong human beings who have learned to fight against the demons of evils done unto them. Realizing their worth, they have worked to overcome these memories, but truly it is a life-long battle.

To help in the fight against sexual assault, report the crime, or learn more about available resources, please visit https://rainn.org/.