Ashley Henderson and Brittany Henderson pose for a picture before school during their early childhood. (Photo courtesy of Ashley Henderson)
My older sister, Brittany, was always the “tough one.” Not a tear shed when she broke her arm. Nothing seemed to bother her. A trait, I envied.
But some burdens are too great to bare. Some pain even the strongest among us cannot carry. And just eight days after her 18th birthday, Brittany, who I had spent my entire life looking up to, finally broke.
When Brittany was a senior in high school, she was sexually assaulted by a guy she thought she could trust. My heart shattered. The world I thought I knew disappeared. “How could someone do this to my sister?”
A question, I still have yet to answer.
I soon realized her pain did not come from the assault alone, it followed in the aftermath. The shame, the nightmares and the inability to change the past. As I watched her struggle through it all, the hurt in my heart deepened every time I heard someone make a joke about sexual assault, minimizing the severity of sexual violence.
Every 74 seconds, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. While these assaults can affect anyone of any age, RAINN said 69% of sexual assault victims are between the ages of 12-34, making teenagers and college students more at risk of being a victim.
But even these statistics are not always enough to show how prevalent this issue is. It is easy to think of our small Christian college as a safe environment where nothing bad could happen. I mean, I never thought it could happen in my small, predominantly Christian hometown either. But unfortunately, sexual violence can happen anywhere and to anyone.
In the 2025 Clery report from the ACU Police Department, there was one report of rape on campus and in a residence hall in 2024, and another in 2022. So ACU is not immune to this issue, something Title IX office coordinator Sherita Nickerson agreed with, according to an article I wrote last year.
“I don’t want to try to make us sound better or worse than any other campus,” Nickerson said. “People come here, and Christians are here, but there are people here who don’t have Jesus on their mind, and we are all capable of making poor decisions.”
While the university’s statistics may lack in comparison to national statistics or other Div. I universities, the ACU community does not have a pass to ignore the issue. In fact, fewer reports do not mean assaults do not occur.
According to RAINN, only 1 in 3 victims report, which is 310 out of every 1,000 survivors. The reasons for not reporting can be caused by feared retaliation, believing the police would not do anything to help and not wanting to get the perpetrator in trouble. If you apply that to ACU, a place where it often feels like everyone knows everyone, a victim reporting an assault would likely feel like isolation from the community.
So what do we do with all of this?
1. We become more aware.
Before you make a joke or an insensitive comment, remember that sexual assault is a crime, not a punchline. You never know who around you is a survivor or who has witnessed a loved one struggle to rebuild their life after an assault. Making light of a deeply traumatizing matter, only contributes to the pain and stigma.
2. Educate yourself and others.
Learn about the prevalence of this issue, and teach others what sexual assault is. Nickerson said, “If you educate people, they’re more prone to make wise decisions versus poor decisions.” By educating people, you can help them understand the consequences and help victims understand their rights.
3. Create a safer environment.
Make efforts to prevent sexual assault and become a safe person for others to confide in. Look out for your friends and others in your community. If you see something, say something.
At a young age, I saw my sister hit rock bottom. She could not forget the past, and she still can’t. She has been forced to live through and cope with what somebody else did to her. And unfortunately, while she may have been the first, she is not the only survivor I know.
But Brittany, like every survivor, is not defined by what happened to her. She is resilient. She overcame true darkness. I share Brittany’s story because it is a reminder that survivors can find hope and healing.
We cannot allow this issue to thrive in silence. Advocacy is our responsiblity.
In Proverbs 31:8-9, it says:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
We must speak up for those afraid to come forward, those who think no one will believe them and those whose stories we may never hear.
Speaking up about sexual assault may be uncomfortable, but it is vital. Speaking up does not make us weak. It makes us courageous, and it is exactly what our God of justice, compassion and love calls us to do.
