April of every year is deemed Sexual Assault Awareness month. This year’s theme “Together We Act, United We Change” highlights the importance of working together to address and prevent sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.
Sexual assault is a violation that affects individuals on both a physical and emotional level. It is an experience that stays with the victim long after the incident, shaping their views on trust, safety, and justice. One of the hardest things to come to terms with is not just the assault itself but the silence that often surrounds it.
At the age of 20, I found myself in a situation where I had to work alongside a boss whose behavior was anything but professional. He crossed boundaries, touching me inappropriately and saying things that no person should have to hear, especially in a professional setting. Despite my stern “No,” the advances continued. I was too shy, too young, and too intimidated to speak up fully. In the silence, I didn’t feel the support I needed, and as a result, I simply stopped working with him and distanced myself.
But later, I discovered that this was not an isolated incident. He had done the same to every young intern who had been assigned to him. And yet, no one reported him. His behavior was allowed to persist because of fear — fear of retaliation, fear of not being believed, fear of disrupting the status quo.
It’s so easy to feel powerless in these situations, to feel like no one will take you seriously or that speaking up could have worse consequences than staying quiet. But this silence is what allows these predators to thrive, to harm more people, and to continue unchecked. The silence needs to end, and it starts with us.
What should we do then?
Together we act, united we change.
We must create a culture of accountability, where survivors feel supported to speak out and where perpetrators understand that their actions will not be tolerated. We need to break down the walls of fear and shame that surround sexual assault and foster environments where respect is non-negotiable.
It’s not just the responsibility of victims to speak up but the responsibility of everyone around us to listen, to act, and to stand in solidarity. When one person speaks up, it encourages others to do the same, and together, we can create a collective voice that cannot be ignored.
To those who may feel like I did — hesitant and afraid — know that there is power in your voice. The strength to make a change doesn’t come from one individual alone, but from a united force of people who refuse to let silence protect the perpetrators of sexual assault. Together, we act, and united, we change.
The time to act is NOW! And when we come together, we will make the world a safer place for everyone.
Uchenna Glory A
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