“Do not walk alone anywhere, make sure you always have friends with you.” As if we did not hear that a million times from our family and loved ones before we came to college.

But why? Why has it become so frightening to go from your dorm to the gym by yourself? Every 107 seconds another American is sexually abused, according to rainn.org. That is a horrifying statistic.

We seem to focus on just women when it comes to rape and sexual assault, but I am going to focus on men as well because they fall victim more than you would think. While the statistics are higher among female victims, I think it is important to learn about both sides. Rainn.org says that about one in 33 men have experienced rape in their lifetime. While that is a significantly smaller number than 1 in 6 women, it is still something to be genuinely concerned about. So why does this happen?

There could be a million reasons written down for me on a piece of paper, but none of them would be a good enough reason to justify these actions. Maybe they would help me to understand, but I think it would just be more disturbing than anything else. Rainn.org also shows that four out of five rapes were committed by someone who knew the victim. This just shows us that those movies where the rapist is hiding in the bushes waiting to attack are just not true. The real statistics are far more frightening. The person you share all of your secrets with, who you think would never do a thing to harm you, could actually be the person to harm you the most.

In a national study done by socialistworker.org, among college students, 75 percent of males and 55 percent of females involved in rape had been drinking alcohol or using drugs prior to the assault. Along with that statistic comes this: 60 percent of rapes and sexual assaults are not reported because of the fear that the victim will be blamed for the action, especially if alcohol is involved.

Yes, alcohol impairs your judgment and might make you act in a way you would not if you were sober, but that does not justify a violent and disgusting act. Women, and men as well, should have people with them if they are going to go out drinking to be sure they are safe. It is sad to think about, but how are we truly supposed to stop it? We really cannot stop the actions of others, we can only protect ourselves. So listen to your parents. Do not travel alone, keep good friends by your side and report it if something goes wrong.

If you or someone you know falls victim to sexual assault here on campus, visit the “Ship Says No More” page on the Ship.edu website for a guide to get help.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the writer and are not representative of The Slate or its staff as a whole.

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