With condolences to the Rondini family. No family should ever have to live with the feeling of losing a loved one to suicide, and I am so terribly sorry for your loss.

A Buzzfeed article posted on June 22 shined a light on topics so frequently kept in the dark: sexual assault and suicide. The article told the story of Megan Rondini, a student from the Honors College at the University of Alabama who was allegedly raped by a man in power in Tuscaloosa and later killed herself. The article dug deep into what happened and the repercussions of the worst night of Megan's life.

Reading the article hit home in so many ways as an incoming freshman to the university, and was a true wake-up call to what happens on college campuses every day.

What hit home most about the article was the fact that Megan had no one to fall on to at the university. Counselors knew of the man who had allegedly assaulted her and chose not to aid her through a dark time. It amazed me how little the university and the greater community turned away from her when she was in need of support from others who could help her get justice for what had happened to her.

I read this article in complete sadness. My heart dropped to the floor reading about how she went to the police, attempted to get justice, and had everything ripped away from her. To hear about sexual assault cases is awful and it breaks my heart, but to hear about it in a place I will soon call home is alarming and makes the reality so much more real. Sexual assault happens, everywhere, all the time.

After reading the article, I went to see online what tools exist that could help prevent these awful acts.

I saw dozens of different warning systems that send alerts to loved ones and friends when you feel unsafe and then again when you are safe or want them to contact local authorities.

I saw different support groups online and in person, not just on campus but in cities around the country.

After doing a little research on sexual assault, I was shocked to find that some researchers have estimated that 1 in 5 women are assaulted on college campuses. If that number didn't hit you hard, think about it like this. Say 20 girls live on a floor together in a dorm building, according to the statistic, four of those girls will be sexually assaulted in their four years of college.

To me, that's insane.

While Megan's story is complex, as it stated in the article, it's not uncommon. We have seen over and over again in the media of judges siding with the male and finding him innocent. Or if he is found guilty, there is a minimal punishment for his actions. It amazes me that even in 2017 when we have come so far as a country, we turn a blind eye to the most unreported crime in the country.

It is important that as a community we don't stay silent during these times, and learn from Megan's death as an example of what sexual assault can lead to. If you or anyone you know have ever fallen victim to sexual assault, know that you are not alone and seek help.

Please don't stay silent, and know there is hope and good things ahead for you if you keep your head held high.