Content warning: The following column contains descriptions of sexual assault.

Feminists in Action will hold its annual “Take Back the Night” event on Tuesday, April 16. This event is a major source of courage and inspiration for survivors of sexual assault. 

Roughly two years ago, I was dating someone who sexually assaulted me. Though the pain will never be the same as the day of, I still relive the experience all the time.

I constantly worry about running into him and what he’d say to me. Every once in a while, I have nightmares about him and the assault. And it’s all because he didn’t know the word no. 

It doesn’t matter if you’re into one-night stands, long-term relationships or anything in between. Consent is extremely important for ensuring all parties are safe, heard and valued.

In the moment, I didn’t feel heard, safe or valued. I felt severely silenced. I felt like my voice didn’t matter, and he was just going to get what he wanted without asking me. Never in my life have I felt that belittled as a person. 

It’s the same feeling as having someone steal something from you, and you have no say in the matter. You don’t feel like a person. You feel less than an inanimate object.

After my experience, I heard about FIA’s event last year and knew I needed to go. I had a gut feeling that it would help me, and it did. I went with my current supportive and loving significant other, and it changed my life. 

I remember sitting on the bricks in front of Memorial Tower and listening to stories from college students about their traumatic experiences. I can’t tell you how many tears I shed that night and how badly I wanted to get on stage and tell my story. 

The entire night, my significant other held my hand as I cried. I knew I had their support as well as everyone else’s in attendance.

Everyone was so supportive and nurturing toward everyone else. I’m not sure I’ve ever been to an event where that many people cried in solidarity toward friends and strangers. To say that it was anything less than magical would be a lie. 

Not only does the event allow students and other participants to share their stories, but FIA members typically bring awareness to the horrifying statistics that surround sexual violence. 

The following statistics are all from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network:

“Every 68 seconds, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.”

“54% of people that are sexually assaulted are between the ages of 18-34, including college students.”

“One in six American women have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.”

“90% of adult rape victims are female.” 

“Women ages 18-24 who are college students are 3 times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence.”

“One in 33 American men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.”

Anyone who reads these statistics should be horrified. I can’t even go outside alone at night because I’m too scared of the millions of possibilities that could happen to me. 

I wish I could live in a world where I didn’t have to obsessively turn around to see what’s going on behind me. Maybe, someday, I will. But unfortunately, that time has not come. 

However, learning about both the statistics of sexual violence and the stories of survivors is so crucial to understanding this issue and advocating for it. No matter who you are, we need your help to raise awareness of this issue.

Attending FIA’s event isn’t the only way to help educate survivors and supporters. You can also listen to people’s experiences, become an ally and even learn “healthy, safe dating and intimate relationship skills” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s page on sexual violence.

It simply takes an open mind, an open heart and listening ears to learn about the harsh realities of sexual violence. It can affect everyone. 

It could happen to a family member,  friend,  significant other or even a stranger in your math class. No matter what the case may be, it can happen to anyone at any time. And the most crucial part is being there for that person during some of the worst moments in their life. 

After my assault, I felt incredibly alone. I felt like I had no one to turn to because, at the time, the person who betrayed me was the person I trusted most. 

And that can be the worst part for survivors: The intimate partner they trusted the most is typically the person who took advantage of them. I can’t even explain to you how gut-wrenching it is to trust someone and have them destroy that trust by not respecting you or valuing you as a person. It’s a brutal experience that I wish upon no one. 

After the speakers at the event finished telling their stories, there is a march around campus, which was equally as impactful on my continuous healing journey.

Everyone who attended the event had the opportunity to walk around campus shouting phrases like, “Shatter the silence, prevent sexual violence.” I’ve never been a part of something that made me feel seen and heard simply by screaming phrases at the top of my lungs with fellow survivors and supporters. 

By the time we were done marching, I was at the front of the line with my partner beside me, and I couldn’t have been more proud of myself and everyone around me. 

It takes so much courage to tell your story or even take it all in silence. No matter your chosen method, I want you to know that you aren’t alone. I may not know you, but I understand you and your story. I value you as a person. And you will never be just a piece of meat. You’re so much more than what happened to you. 

And if you’re still struggling to tell yourself all of those things, please come to FIA’s event. I promise you that it’s a must-be-at-event. It doesn’t matter if you’re a survivor, supporter or anything else; I urge you to come to learn and advocate for a cause that impacts so many of us. 

Take it from me — I’m still healing, but FIA’s event gives me hope, support, and comfort, which is all that I can ask for after my experience. 

I’d also like to give a special shoutout to my friends and current significant other, who have given me so much love and support during these challenging times. Their love support is what makes healing possible. Thank you for everything.

Taylor Hamilton is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Tallahassee, Florida.