I have always blamed my fear of sexual assault on the general anxiety I’ve dealt with since I was young. Because of this, I knew being scared out of my mind after watching The Hunting Ground documentary about college campus sexual assault was normal, even expected.

The idea of sexual assault may be incredibly terrifying, but unfortunately it is a terrifying reality. Most teens are very aware and educated on this topic. Ever since my friends and I could drive places on our own, our parents have instilled in us the safety precautions to take in sketchy situations: avoid parking garages, travel in groups, make sure someone has pepper spray on them, use the buddy system, don’t go out with a bunch of strangers.

I’m lucky to have some really awesome friends in my life. We all have the same morals and agree on what is appropriate and inappropriate. We love to laugh and have a strange sense of humor, but our group is truly like a little family. That being said, we look out for one another. None of us have ever had a problem telling the others we are uncomfortable; whether it be a party that is too crowded, a guy giving off weird vibes, or a joke that is taken too far. If we’re walking through somewhere like the city at night, we are all actively aware of our surroundings. The guys in our circle of friends are especially good at steering everyone clear of shady areas and of people who are known to be not so nice to girls.

After watching The Hunting Ground documentary, I quickly realized that rapists and sexual predators are not the creepy guys hanging out in the alleys, as they are commonly thought to be; however, they can be in your own crowd. Sexual predators and rapists can even be friends you’ve known and loved for years. This information made me particularly anxious because I tend to trust others easily. I like to think everyone is a good guy in this world, but after watching this documentary, I had to reevaluate my mindset.

Because The Hunting Ground opened my eyes to the worst realization: you don’t know anyone well enough. The only true defense we have is our sense of proper judgement.

Although, isn’t it strange? We shudder at the thought of being unprotected from these horrible realities and are taught all the ways to avoid them, but what about those who cause it? What about those sexual predators that lurk and ultimately cause this major concern? Are they never taught how to treat others? Are they never taught rape and sexual assault and ruining people’s lives is unforgivable and twisted?

The lessons of protection against those disgusting enough to commit such inhuman acts should not have to be taught. People should know better. People should know that no means no. People should not have to go through the traumatic experience of rape and sexual assault no matter their age, their clothing style, or their choice of beverage. Rape is rape and rape is wrong.

When will those people who cruelly rip away the innocence of helpless others learn that you can’t touch things that aren’t yours?

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Author's Note: The Hunting Grounds is a great film that can be viewed on Netflix. It was directed by Kirby Dick and I am making sure every I know watches it, especially before college. Even when I thought I was educated enough on rape culture and sexual assault, I realized while watching this documentary that there are so many things young girls and guys would never even think of that are so important to know. This documentary is rated PG-13, but please considering watching it when you can...you won't regret it.