I could never survive in our society as a woman. Hands down, no way.

You may ask, "Why, Jake? Why wouldn't you want to be a chick? Because they have periods? Childbirth? You'd have to care about your appearance?"

As terrifying as all of those things are to me - and kudos to you, ladies - no.

That very well may be what a guy would ask in response to that statement because so many of us fail to see the truth. They tally up the score and see all of these 'awful' things that women have to deal with that men do not. In reality, they are overlooking the number one reason that some women would die for a chance to flip the tables on them: sexual violence.

Fascinating. The very worst thing that women have to deal with on a daily basis has nothing to do with being a woman. It's men.

Cat calling. Sexual objectification. Physical or verbal harassment. Sexual assault. Rape. Any way you stack the deck, it's wrong. And that saddest part is the arguments that men make in an attempt to justify their appalling actions.

"But she was asking for it."

It does not matter if she was flirting with you. It does not matter what she was wearing. It does not matter how much she has had to drink. It does not matter if she is your girlfriend, fiancé, or wife. Sexual violence has no grey area.

"It's not like I raped her."

You're right. You didn't rapeher. You only forced her to hear your degrading words. You only groped her for a brief second. She only had to fear for her safety. She'll probably forget all about it.

"I was just kidding around."

Then you have an egregious sense of humor. Sexual violence is not a joke. Any form of it is devastating and there simply is no excuse for it.

This is the type of environment we have created. It is absolutely pitiful that so many women cannot feel safe when walking the streets alone. Even in broad daylight, many women feel very uncomfortable for fear of an unwelcome male presence. And ignoring these deplorable advances tends to only bring more unwanted attention.

She is not playing hard to get. She isn't a prude. The only problem with the situation is you.

It does not just happen in public, either. It happens at work, in the classroom and even at home. The only real way to combat it is by attacking the issue head on. Unfortunately, it is just not that simple - especially for the victim. It is no easy task to stand up to an abuser or harasser.

We need to change this. With sexual violence being so prevalent, how is it possible to fix it? There is only one way -- standing by our women.

My fellow men -- we cannot stay silent any longer. We must stop sitting idly by while these atrocities take place. This isn't about chivalry or our 'manly duties' to women - this is about your duty as a human being. Stand up for your fellow human beings. If you choose not to, then you are no better than the person committing the act. If you see something, say something. Stop waiting for someone else to do it for you.