Too many students pack their dreams into suitcases, head off to college, and enter campuses that were never truly safe for them. Because beneath th
Too many students pack their dreams into suitcases, head off to college, and enter campuses that were never truly safe for them.
Because beneath the brochures, the scholarship announcements, and the celebratory send-offs—sexual violence remains one of the most underreported and devastating realities of campus life.
And far too often, the burden to stay safe is placed on students, while institutions fail to hold perpetrators and systems accountable.
💔 The Numbers That Should Stop Us in Our Tracks
1 in 4 undergraduate women in the U.S. experiences sexual assault or misconduct during college.
📎 Association of American Universities, 2019Only 20% of female student victims report sexual assault to the police.
📎 RAINN – Rape, Abuse & Incest National NetworkStudents of color, gay, lesbian, & bisexual, and students with disabilities face higher rates of assault—and far fewer supports when they come forward.
📎 National Sexual Violence Resource CenterMost assaults occur between August and November—often within the first weeks of the academic year. This is called the Red Zone, and it’s still a reality for thousands of freshmen each fall.
📎 U.S. Department of Justice
🚨 What Survivors Face (And Why They Deserve Better)
Victim-blaming, silence, and retaliation
Lack of transparency in Title IX proceedings
Pressure to stay quiet “for the reputation of the school”
Broken systems that prioritize liability over healing
And even after the incident, trauma disrupts education, relationships, physical health, mental well-being, and career paths.
🌱 What We Must Do
Believe students. Create environments where young people are heard, supported, and protected.
Push institutions to act. No more quiet settlements or backroom deals.
Hold perpetrators accountable. No matter their position, scholarship, or popularity.
Educate and prepare. Equip incoming students with real, unfiltered knowledge about consent, safety, and self-advocacy.
Support safe adults—parents, mentors, and staff—who speak truth, not PR.
🧭 To Students: You Shouldn’t Have to Choose Between Safety and Success
Your voice matters.
Your trauma is real.
You are not “too sensitive.”
You didn’t ruin the mood.
You’re not asking for too much when you ask to be safe.
You’re asking to be human.
And we’re not waiting for another press release or task force.
We demand real protection, real action, and real accountability—now.
✊🏽 Shareable Affirmations for Student Survivors
I do not need to justify my boundaries.
The harm done to me was not my fault.
I deserve justice, support, and peace.
My safety is more important than their reputation.
I will not carry the shame that belongs to them.
My story is valid, even if they try to erase it.
I’m not alone. Others have walked this road—and survived.
📌 Safe Adults: Here’s What You Can Do
Normalize talking about consent and safety before move-in day.
Teach students how to file a report and how to protect their mental health.
Push your local college or university to publish transparent sexual violence stats.
Support Title IX protections and learn how your state implements them.
Build Boundaried Spaces where Survivors can speak without shame, judgment, or erasure.
Because when we fail to protect students, we fail their future.
And when students bravely tell their truth, it’s our job to believe them—and to act.