"One in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college."

"In eight out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the person who sexually assaulted them."

That makes you question who has your safety as their best interest. As a college freshman, this scares me. I didn't choose birth control to have sex, I chose it to be safe. I chose birth control so I wouldn't become just another statistic. I chose birth control to protect myself from all the dangers of Rape on college campus

I decided to start birth control in August of 2016, I now receive the Depo-Provera Shot. After years of trying to convince my mother to let me get birth control, not to have sex, but for cramping, acne, and PMS, she finally said yes. When I asked if it was a good idea, I did not mention those reasons, but I told her I was scared to get to campus and be sexually assaulted. "More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November." My first semester would be plagued by the thought of this statistic.

Knowing I have my own protection against sexual assault is a great feeling, my little secret if you will. But I should not have to have this secret. I should not have to walk in groups at night. I should not have to worry about being "too friendly" towards guys. I should not have to live in fear on a college campus. I should not have to have horrible side effects just to feel safe.

I never thought I would get birth control just because I was going to college. You hear these stigmas about people on birth control that " Only sexually active adults need birth control," " they must always be having sex," " they just do it so they don't have to wear condoms." I was not allowed to start birth control because I was "too young." Not everyone who chooses birth control uses it just for sex, you have people with severe cramping, acne, and to regulate their menstrual cycle. We need to allow young teens to know the different forms of birth control, the effects they have, and why it is OK to use them.

You know sexual assault on campus is real when you have a whole presentation on it at your Orientation. You know it is real when you receive the text message updates about when and where it happened on campus. You know sexual assault on campus is real when you're scared to walk alone at night. Being on campus, hearing the news, knowing the facts, it makes me realize I made the right choice for myself. I made the right choice, but its a choice I shouldn't have to make.