Have you ever been followed home? Have you ever been threatened by a coworker? Have you ever felt like the gender you were born as is a weapon against you? If you answered yes to any of these I am truly sorry.

This is sometimes the harsh reality of life. Last week I was walking home from a church event at Cup of Grace coffee shop, it is right across from the Willow Bowl on campus.

It was about 10:30 on a normal Thursday night. I live in Neihardt so I didn’t think much about it. I wasn’t that far from my dorm it was well lit so I headed out alone.

I was crossing the street and a man crossed behind me. I didn’t think much of it because it was “Thirsty Thursday.” I just thought he would drunkenly stagger to the Willow Bowl and I would continue walking.

Then I noticed he was following me rather closely, so I sped up, then so did he. In that moment I couldn’t breathe. I, barely knowing what I was doing, called my mom. I asked her to stay on the phone with me, and he fell back a ways.

I was almost home and I thought it was over but then he caught back up, so I ran up one set of staircase to Neihardt and he ran up the other. I scanned my card and he caught the door and ran inside after me.

Now here is the good part. He went the opposite direction, I darted to my room.

I was so scared, yet I knew I needed to tell someone. So I went to the desk and they called the RA on duty, who called campus security, who called the police.

The worst part is they never found him, and I felt like I was the one in trouble.

The police asked me questions and as harmless as they seem, I was ashamed by them.

I am a single college student, and I am very ok with that. But the fact that not having a boyfriend to walk me back was even a variable in all this is ludicrous to me.

Women should not feel unsafe walking a block to get home. They should not be something to mess with and see how they react. It is not ok.

Someone’s gender should not make them a victim. This is not the first time my gender has been used as a weapon against me, and I bet it won’t be the last.

I guess I am writing this to let you all know that you are not alone, and you are powerful, and this is not fair. We shouldn’t feel unsafe.