I want to thank Elissa Mills for her guest column ("Community's response to recent assaults lacks outrage, blames women" Nov. 12). This community has seen an increase in reported sexual assaults this semester. Mills rightfully points out that the university and community response has blamed victims, asking women to change their behavior to avoid being sexually assaulted. One major preventative measure endorsed by the university and law enforcement officials is to not walk alone at night. How does that help the victims who have been sexually assaulted by the person walking them home? The epidemic of stranger assaults in recent weeks is a reflection of our society. We are unwilling to admit that our boyfriends, friends and acquaintances would assault us, even though statistics show that stranger assaults are relatively uncommon.

The initiative taken by the university in dealing with sexual assault and rape is not adequately addressing the problem. We, as a community, must question ourselves, and what might be underlying the now visible problem of sexual assault. We must then work toward a common goal to sufficiently address the underlying issues related to sexual assault. I commend Mills for being brave enough to address her assault publicly. I'm sure it was not easy for her to write about her experience. Hopefully, her call to action will not go unheard.