Lady Gaga's newest video has everyone talking. Written for "The Hunting Ground," a documentary about sexual abuse on college campuses, Gaga and co-writer Diane Warren's "Til It Happens To You" was written to connect with those who have been through "painful life experiences." Not only focusing on the savage-like acts of sexual predators, Gaga and Warren also portray the grave aftermaths faced by the victims. The loss of self-worth, denial, and isolation are only a few of the symptoms experienced by survivors depicted in the music video. But, there is some light at the end of the tunnel -- the very end of the video shows the victims surrounded by love, support, and encouragement, which empowers them to open up and move beyond the experience.

This heart-wrenching and unsettling music video should serve as a major eye-opener to a serious issue affecting nearly 20 percent of students on college campuses across the globe. Some may not believe the frequency at which this atrocity occurs, but a study conducted by The Journal of Adolescent Health proves its accuracy. With references to 10 different sources, this study, which was published in February of 2015, confirms the relevancy of this information and the prevalence of rape and sexual assault. The conclusion of the study was that, "Both incapacitated and forcible sexual assaults and rape have reached epidemic levels among college women. Interventions to address sexual violence on campus are urgently needed." Even more alarming, according to an article posted by CNN, a devastating "28% of the women said they had been a victim of either an attempted or completed forcible or incapacitated rape before college, from the age of 14 through 18." Almost one in every three women have experienced, or almost experienced, sexual assault before they were out of high-school. This needs to be stopped.

It is unnerving and absolutely disgusting that these crimes, which are highly advertised in the media are still so prevalent. Clearly, something more needs to be done regarding the education and punishment involved in these harmful acts. I can only hope that the popularity of artists who are speaking out, such as Lady Gaga, will help spread awareness of the issue, as well as empower victims around the globe to stand up and be open about their experiences. These statistics should act as an eye-opener and encourage everyone to take precautions. It can happen to anyone.