Assault, harassment and rape are becoming more and more common in our country. Time magazine released an article in 2017 stating that 48 percent of the working women in America have been sexually, verbally or physically harassed while at work. This number does not include the millions of women who are abused in other settings, such as on dates or even at home.

I have no firsthand experience with this situation, but these numbers make me sick. Several of the women who testified to being raped said that the whole time they wondered if they had done something to cause it. The answer to that is no, absolutely not. Nothing that a woman wears, says or does justifies her being sexually assaulted.

So, why do men feel that they have the right to commit these horrible acts? Does it make them feel powerful? Do they think they can get away with it? The truth is that nothing can ever justify a man forcibly raping an undeserving woman against her will. It’s just wrong.

Ainsley Hill

Spokane