One of the worst crimes anyone can commit is a sexual assault, and although I like to think that most of my gender realize this, there are obviously some that disregard its severity. There is no question that we need to educate the population, especially those of college age, about sexual assault and the seriousness of the effect it will have on a victim's life.

That point should be obvious to everyone. Everyday I hear comments that disappoint me as I walk around campus. Although a "Freshman Girls: Get 'em While They're Skinny" T-shirt may just be a joke, hearing people speak of trying to get girls drunk is a clear problem.

However, it isn't easy to educate all the men at Penn State, especially those who aren't willing to listen. It's not feasible to expect that a potential rapist is going to voluntarily go to an information session to learn about the significance of sexual assault.

No one can pick a rapist out of a crowd, so it's not possible to eliminate the problem by attempting to seek out all the rapists and arrest them like some Collegian letters and columns may want you to believe.

It is this reason that the simple act of locking your door is the first action that should be taken. It has nothing to do with trying to make "womyn" live behind locked doors. It isn't because we think that the girls or potential victims are to blame. It is because it's the simplest form of protection and therefore prevention. It is a lot easier to just turn the lock on the door than it is to attempt to hunt down all the people on campus might try to take advantage of someone after drinking all night. So while it isn't the only preventative action Penn State should consider, its effectiveness and ease is tough to argue against.