The first of April marks the beginning of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Observed throughout April, the month serves as a time to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate the community on how it can be prevented.

Every 92 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

One in 6 women will become a victim of sexual assault in her lifetime and younger people are at a much higher risk of violence.

In fact, college-aged (18-24) women are three times more likely to experience sexual assault than their peers.

The statistics escalate in the LGBTQIA+ community. Twenty-one percent of transgender and gender nonconforming college students have been sexually assaulted.

Additionally, lesbian women are 9 percent more likely to experience rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner than heterosexual women. For bisexual women, they are 26 percent more likely to experience assault, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sexual violence is pervasive. But what makes it so hard to address?

Stigma could be a start. Oftentimes when women are raped, they are asked questions that frame the violence as a fault of their own rather than that of the perpetrator. They are asked: What were you wearing? Were you drinking? Are you sure you didn’t say yes? But did you say no?

When men are assaulted, they are portrayed as weak. This makes it especially hard for men and boys to come forward.

But sexual assault does not just exist in the moment in which the violence is occurring. In cases of rape by an intimate partner, the assaults can happen frequently and is typically partnered with other abuse.

Two weeks following the rape, 94 percent of women experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, according to RAINN. Thirty-five percent of men also report significant short- or long-term impacts, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

Financially, rape costs the U.S. more than any other crime, $127 billion, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. This is then followed by assault, $93 billion and murder, $71 billion.

Yet, all in all, most perpetrators will never go to prison. Out of every 1,000 rapes, 995 perpetrators will walk free, according to RAINN. In many cases, this is due to a lack of underreporting — only 1 in 4 assaults will eventually be reported.

Why? Many victims fear retaliation by their perpetrator. They also feel as if police won’t take any action. Some just felt it wasn’t important enough to report.

The United States must take serious action regarding the issue of sexual assault and violence. It is not enough for institutions, especially college campuses, to just express support for victims. A culture shift is needed and it begins with potential perpetrators and bystanders.

Take the time this month to participate in the educational opportunities planned for Sexual Assault Awareness Month on campus. Learn more about the intricacies of consent as well as how you can be a more proactive bystander.

The statistics speak for themselves. Sexual assault is not a women’s issue. It is not a LGBTQIA+ issue. It is not a children’s issue. It is not a men’s issue. It’s a societal issue that impacts all of us.