Rape is real. It’s more than a headline on the news, and it’s more than a statistic in your health textbook. Rape affects so many people – adolescents, adults, the elderly – male and female.

Rape is life changing.

Rape is horrifying.

It doesn’t happen because someone was dressed like a slut. It doesn’t happen because someone was flirting. It doesn’t happen because someone was drunk. Rape happens because someone wants it to. It is a deliberate action. Every time. Consent is necessary, consent is the law.

Someone you know has been raped.

A woman’s chance of getting raped in college is 1 in 4.

A man’s chance of being sexually assaulted is 1 in 10.

Rape is the most under reported crime; 64 percent of rapes are not reported to the police.

Alcohol is the number one date rape drug on college campuses today.

Report what you know, protect those who you love. Never leave your friend alone in a situation where they may be hurt. Never leave your drink unattended. Never accept alcohol from an untrusted source.

Someone is hurting because of rape. You may be hurting because of rape. It’s a crime, it’s serious, and it isn’t stopping. It stops when prevention is taken and when rapists are put behind bars.

Speak out before it happens to someone else.