There is a problem that has been making headlines around the world that seems especially prevalent right now: sexual assault.

Even with the talk generated by the ‘Me Too’ movement, it still feels like not enough actual action is taking place.

Rapists are still not being prosecuted or held accountable, and rape culture is still alive and thriving in 2018.

This is highlighted right now with Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination.

When a woman stepped forward and said Kavanaugh had assaulted her, the excuses and accusations came flooding in, and not towards the man accused of assault. ‘Why didn’t she come forward earlier? It was so long ago, why does it matter now? She is probably just talking now to get attention.’

To these people, we say, who would ask for this type of attention? What is this woman gaining from lying?

We at The Daily Eastern News stand with survivors of sexual assault and support their right to call out their attacker.

No matter the victim’s situation, they deserve to be heard, and they deserve the right to be respected when they finally feel like they can speak out and make a difference.

If we don’t stop belittling survivors, everything the Me Too movement brought to light will be for naught, as women will still have to fight to be taken seriously about what they endured.

For any real change to happen, we have to not only listen to survivors, we have to act. We as a nation need to get better about providing viable rape kits and about not making excuses for those who are accused. Why would any woman come forward when she knows there is little to no chance her attacker will be brought to justice? What’s the point of pressing charges when our legal system does not treat rape or sexual assault as a real crime?

We need to change the dialogue surrounding those standing up and talking about their experiences in order to change the process. Until then, we will continue to live in a society that has started talking big talk about ending sexual assault but has not started taking victims seriously when it comes down to actually doing something about it.

We stand with Christine Blasey Ford and any other woman who has faced an unforgiving public when accusing a well-respected man of sexual misconduct.