It's a brisk September night; 2:00 A.M., and I'm just leaving the library to catch a few hours of sleep. I bundle up, and lethargically leave the building, fixated on the thought of my warm and comfortable bed. The walk is not too long, but not too short either. I'm able to listen to a few songs that allow my thoughts to wander into the fatigued sanctity of my mind. I enter my home, meander to my bed, hit the lights, and I'm asleep.

Let's consider the same scenario, except, in this situation I'm no longer a man, but a woman. For women, this "same" situation is starkly different. You know all too well what this hour of the night means to you, but as a man, I don't need to worry about that. You know that when walking home, you're not fixated on the comforts of your bed, but rather you must avert your attention to the dark, shadowy movements that may accompany you on your walk home. As a man, I'm exempt from that. You may listen to music or pretend you're on the phone, but those unnerving ten minutes don't pass by as though measured in units of enjoyable melodies. As a man, I am deeply saddened by that. And when you finally reach your bed, a deep sense of relief washes over you. As a man, I don't think I'll ever feel that.

Sexual assault is a problem that has long occupied a niche throughout college campuses in the United States. It is an issue that has recently entered the national scene, but stems from a presence that is deeply rooted in the history and infrastructure of higher education. In the college milieu, I've seen many people refer to sexual assault as a "woman's issue." But how can people even believe themselves when they say that? In doing so, they hinge the burden of sexual assault solely on women, when the responsibility to prevent sexual assault should be levied across humans all along the gender spectrum. Sexual assault is a humanitarian issue, and should be viewed as such.

Many organizations working to prevent sexual assault focus on empowering women by teaching self-defense classes, informing women on how/when to use consent, or highlighting specific situations/circumstances to avoid. By no means do I discredit the work of these organizations, and I firmly agree that the work these organizations do is invaluable. However, I must point out that there simply aren't enough organizations that seek to change the minds and behaviors of the perpetrators in sexual assault. The unequal balance of organizations working with potential victims rather than potential perpetrators have created an atmosphere in which "victim-blaming" becomes pervasive and prevalent. And although sexual assault can have many victims, the one constant in the many situations of sexual assault is the undeniable role that men play as perpetrators.

We've heard countless stories of men abusing their wives, children, friends, and other men. And while men can be abused and women can be perpetrators, a majority of cases involve men in the latter category. But we hardly ask questions such as: why do men do this? Or what allows them to continue to sexually assault others? By asking these questions we will be more capable of preventing sexual and gender violence. We need more organizations and campaigns that look and analyze the role of men as the perpetrator in sexual assault. We need to equally attack the problem of sexual assault from all angles so that people can no longer claim sexual assault as a "woman's issue". Enter the organization: "We're Better Than That" - Men Against Sexual Assault.

This is an organization created by a few close friends and myself. The goal of our organization is to get others to understand that sexual assault is a humanitarian issue that requires efforts from both men and women. But unlike other organizations, we want to focus our efforts on placing the onus of sexual assault prevention on men as potential perpetrators rather than on women as potential victims. We want our organization to have both men and women working towards a common goal, but to focus our efforts in an area that isn't as heavily targeted. Sociologist and anti-sexist activist, Jackson Katz sums up a key advantage in involving more men in sexual assault prevention: "...one of the powerful roles that men can play in this work is that... we can be heard saying some things that women often can't be heard saying." While this is a sobering reality, it is an angle that we must use to create a more just world.

We know that there are many men out there who are passionately against gender inequality and sexual assault. But at the same time, there is an even more sizable contingent of men that don't even begin to understand the brevity of the problem. On any given night, and in any given bar in Madison, you can see a random drunken man going around inappropriately touching or catcalling women. The first time I saw this, I was instantly taken aback, but even more so, I was entirely enraged. I cannot begin to fathom the entitlement and ignorance one must possess to do that to another human being.

I obviously proceeded to tell the man to stop, but it wasn't enough. Ten minutes later and he was back doing the same thing. There was no quelling the gall of this man, because in his mind, he really didn't think he was doing anything wrong. And this is just one anecdote of something that happens far too often with far too little objection. Many of my close girl-friends say occurrences like this aren't happenstance, but regularities. It's just something that girls in college have just "come to accept." Well that is just something I personally cannot allow to happen anymore and I don't think any woman should be have to succumb to that sort of standard.

As men, we have a choice to actively combat the injustices that surround us. But to do so, we must first hold ourselves accountable for the privileges inherent with our gender. I admit that I have benefitted in numerous circumstances simply because I'm a man. And I admit that there is no possible way that I can feel the discrimination and biases that women feel on a daily basis. But what I can do, is to try and develop empathy and understanding. I can use compassion to intensify a desire to stop the wrongs as I see them happen. We have got to get to a point that as a gender, we feel comfortable enough to call out sexist behaviors from our peers and other men. Silence is a form of complicity, and being complacent in this situation is an impediment to progress.

I am disheartened by the disregard that men can so easily display to other men and women, but even more than that, I am resolute and optimistic about the work that can be done to foster change. We need to have men and women working in conjunction towards a common goal - to end sexual assault. We need men to listen to the stories of women, so that they can empathize and develop an urgency towards establishing gender equality. We need all groups to realize that sexual assault is not a woman's issue that a "few good men" help out with. No. This is an issue that implicates us all, and the responsibility rests upon all of our shoulders to do something about it. If you allow a woman to be sexually assaulted, it does not affect just that woman. It affects all the people that surround her including her kids, her spouse, her friends, and her parents. Those groups of people include men and women alike.

In closing, I invite you to consider joining our organization and becoming part of a movement that focuses on one aspect of this deeply troubling humanitarian issue. For too long, men have been allowed to leave their role in sexual assault greatly unacknowledged. We can no longer support a hierarchical structure that perpetually reinforces male-driven dominance. It's precisely these types of systems that allow sexual assault to persist. But if you are a person who believes in the equality for all people, then it should be in your best interest to fight for those that are trying to attain that which you believe in.

It is my hope that men and women can work alongside each other to transform the minds of others. It is my belief that togetherwe can make a significant impact on the community we are so proudly apart of. For too long we have been stuck in our ways that reinforce the denigration of others, especially women. Ultimately, it is my goal that we can abashedly let go of our ways and come to the realization that this can no longer persist, and that indeed: We're better than that.