On April 9, as students made their way from class to class, many visited the Student Center to grab a bite to eat or to meet up with friends. Quite a few of those students stopped to look at a clothesline that was full of T-shirts hanging in the Faner breezeway. The shirts displayed the emotions and unfortunate memories of victims of sexual assault. As many might know, this month is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and unlike other months set aside for a particular segment of the population, this one deserves special attention for it is an issue that affects everyone.

The statistics are staggering:One in three women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime; every minute a woman is raped in America. The statistics do not apply only to women. One in seven men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. The experiences can happen anywhere, anytime, and at any age, sex, color, or socio-economic background. The reasons for the existence of such behavior may never be understood, and it most likely will never go away either.

Sexual assault always has been an issue on college campuses. It has been reported that one in four women have been the targets of sexual assault while in college. What is most unnerving about these statistics is that they do not call into account all of the women and men who stay silent.

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The clothesline of T-shirts by victims was sponsored by the Rape Action Committee of Carbondale and was the first of many activities that will be sponsored on campus this month. Those helping out with and sponsoring the events include SIUC Women’s Services, the Southern Illinois Men Against Sexual Violence, the Carbondale Women’s Center, and Carbondale Crime Stoppers. These groups deserve recognition for the work, time, and dedication they put into this issue, which they deal with all year.

Another group that deserves acknowledgment is the victims of these crimes that have the courage to tell their stories. It is because of them that we all can learn and understand this issue.

Although every month that is set aside to honor a group or cause is important, there are some that hold universal appeal, and this is one of them. While you have been reading this five to 15 women have been raped. It is disgusting that some people feel that they have a right to violate a person in any way. Perhaps, in a combined effort, we can stop the madness.