It’s still a problem, even if you don’t see it.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), one out of six women have been the victim of either a completed or attempted rape.

The organization states on its website that approximately 321,500 Americans 12 years or older are either sexually assaulted or raped each year.

If you have a hard time believing that, take a look at The Herald. It’s likely you may see at least one article or arrest regarding an incident related to sexual abuse or rape.

It’s necessary for the media to report on topics such as this — as much as I’d prefer there to be an absence of it — because people need to know that it is out there and that the threat is very much real.

One person can’t stop the overwhelming issue of sexual abuse; it has to be a persistent community effort. We stop nothing alone. When we come together, we’re better able to make the changes the world needs to see.

For that reason, I’d like to applaud Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College for their joint endeavor in Wednesday’s A Walk in Their Shoes event, where students — including many males — from the two schools walked in high heels for about one mile around the Longwood campus to raise awareness about the causes, effects and remediations of sexual misconduct.

It’s because of events like this that victims of sexual abuse know that they are not alone, in addition to spreading awareness.