On Monday I went to Kate Harding’s talk on sexual assault. I went to this talk because I was interested in hearing what she had to say, and because I personally have experienced sexual assault. Listening to talk, I thought that maybe my experiences could someday be used to help other students and victims in the future. Kate is very inspiring, she even shared many of her own experiences with the audience. I hope others in the audience felt inspired as well, and maybe we can help initiate cultural changes so that one day sexual assault will become a rare occurrence.

When something like sexual assault happens to someone, often they want to forget about it due to shame and what is defined as “rape culture.” We need a safe haven where anyone who has been victimized can go, where they can be taken care of and their stories believed. We also need to make changes in our culture, education, and media. Even today rape scenes are portrayed on television and online. Younger generations are growing up without the knowledge of consensual sex. And certain groups of people are targeted since their stories are less likely to be believed or acknowledged.

It is clear that changes need to be made. So what can we do about it? How can you make a difference? Don’t support rape culture, report things you see online or in media, stop a friend from doing something you know isn’t right. Every one of us can make a difference. Do it for yourself, your friends, siblings, and future generations.