By: Elan Waite

Sexual assault is an unavoidable truth that is staring us all in the face.

The topic of sexual assault on college campuses has been a recurring issue that the media has continued to keep a bright light on. Coverage has spread throughout all media outlets, as it should, and has been monitored more closely by students.

One of the most haunting statistics is the “one in four” slogan. This represents the number of women who report either being raped or surviving an attempted rape in their lifetime.

There are victims who need help and attackers who need reprimanding. We need to focus on those two important aspects. Imagine how much more we could accomplish for victims of sexual assault if we didn’t have to go back to basics.

It’s not only disgraceful but downright embarrassing that in this day and age, we have to launch campaigns spelling out what consent means for adults. We should not have to dissect and spell out something so simple for anyone. “No means no” should be understood.

In the past, our culture has questioned the victims and what they might have done to edge on an attack. What were they wearing? Did they lead the attacker on? Were they drinking? This backwards thinking is absolutely absurd.

A college in California has included a consent section in its mandatory “welcome back” session for students. They have taken a more positive approach, saying that instead of focusing on the “no means no” way, they put more emphasis on “yes means yes.” They encourage a clear, vocal, mutual agreement between two individuals before sex occurs.

In a perfect world, we would not have to explain why someone being unconscious or coy is not an invitation for assault. However, this is our reality and we have to do all we can to eliminate sexual assault.