This evening, the Take Back the Night Rally will be held in front of Curtiss Hall.

For those unfamiliar with the event, it is an annual attempt to educate our community and raise awareness of violence against women.

One in three women will be raped in her lifetime.

If you have a mother, a sister and a girlfriend, chances are that one of them has been or will be victimized.

These are alarming statistics.

Violence against women affects us all. If you think being a man makes you immune, think again.

You are wrong if for no other reason than you care about the health and safety of female family members.

We live in a culture of rape and violence that constricts us all.

Women live in fear as potential and actual victims while men are often forced into the role of unconcerned, flippant sexists because it wouldn’t serve machismo to interrupt sexist jokes or speak out on behalf of women.

Too often, we fail to realize that while women are the victims of sexual violence, the problem is a man’s problem.

Men commit acts of sexual violence against women.

While not every man is a rapist waiting to happen, men often contribute to an environment which condones violence toward women implicitly.

It isn’t cool for a “real” man to step up and say he doesn’t approve of jokes which belittle and ridicule women.

It’s not the “manly” man who puts down his frosty mug of suds to tell his drinking buddies that it’s wrong to look at women as sexual objects rather than as human beings worthy of equality and respect.

All those sexist jokes and anecdotes that guys like to think aren’t doing anybody any harm contribute to a hostile environment.

The system of keeping tally of your conquests might be harmless enough until that one guy desperate to play catch-up gets loaded and decides to push the boundaries a little further than normal so he can improve his “score.”

We are living in an environment which is, unfortunately, far too dangerous for women.

So take the time today to stop by the Union to pick up a purple ribbon to show your support for Take Back the Night.

And tonight, come out and take part in the rally and march to celebrate women’s safety.