Rape. A four-letter word that makes everyone shrug and pray it doesn't happen to them, their loved ones or in fact, anyone. It is a terrible crime that has become much too common. Addressing rape is not something that we wish to do; no one wants to talk about it. But in order to make a change, there needs to be a discussion, and it needs to get the attention it truly deserves.

Unfortunately for most women attending college, this has been on their mind one way or another. It may have happened to them or their friend, or they are cautioned about getting too drunk and doing something "stupid." First of all, having the legal drinking age be 21 is absurd. It creates a culture of binge-drinking like no other. People say this all the time, but I have personally experienced it. In Europe, the drinking age is 16 in some places and 18 in others. This establishes an acceptance of alcohol which many want to avoid and claim is dangerous. Even though Americans are drinking less than Europeans, more are dying from it. Which comes back to my point about binge-drinking and the drinking age. When the drinking age is higher, it causes people to drink just to get drunk which causes many more deaths from drunk driving or alcohol poisoning. It is also common knowledge that the majority of students drink while at college, setting young adults up to break the law. Anyone who has ever had a drink under the age of 21 is technically a criminal.

With a high rate of binge-drinking at colleges, along with it comes rape. The sex appeal that exists in our daily lives also plays a role in rape at colleges. When you go out with your friends you hope to be the hottest one there. Girls wear crop tops, push-up bras, bodysuits and all other things. I am no better, I wear those clothes when I go out, too. No one ever asks to be raped, no matter what clothes they are wearing, but living in a promiscuous society certainly does not help.

I recently stumbled across a New York Times article on the rape at Standford University. The school ruled in the woman's favor that it was, in fact, sexual assault, but the interesting thing is that the football player was allowed to stay at the school and continue his athletics. The victim was afraid to run into him on campus and transferred to another school. This is not the only case where athletes are "excused" due to their athletic ability and the good reputation they bring to the university. What kind of moral system is this? By excusing them we are indirectly telling the rapist to continue what they are doing. If he can get away with taking a blacked-out girl home and sleeping with her even though she is barely conscious, why can't I? The worst part is that most women today feel as if it is their fault they got raped, and the majority do not report it.

I want to finish by saying that I am in no way a feminist and I do understand that men can get raped as well. But the truth is that it is much more common with women, and especially on college campuses. I also realize that the Muslim religion accepts rape if it is towards a non-Muslim woman. This is also an intriguing topic, especially with European immigration and the current rape epidemic and how it does not reach American news – you can read more about that here. Forcing yourself on someone, no matter the gender, is horrific and immoral, and it should not be happening to anyone anywhere. Period.