“Not all men.”

Not all men, but almost every single woman.

Ever since Sarah Everard’s murder, the 97% movement has been resurfacing all across the world and social media. Everard was raped and killed by a former London police officer, Wayne Couzens. Couzens had falsely arrested Everard, drove her 60 miles outside of the city, then proceeded to rape her, strangle her with his police belt, and set her body on fire. Unfortunately Everard wasn’t the only victim of Couzen; the officer had a background of raping and killing many other victims as well. Her abuse and death sparked movements in the UK, California, New York, and is spreading to places across the U.S. People have been wondering, “is the movement even necessary?” Yes, it is.

A recent study done by worldpopulationreview.com found that nearly 97% of women from the ages 18-24 have been sexually harassed or raped as of March 2021. To scale it down, that’s one in three women–too many women. The JHS Newspaper recently surveyed 54 students, ages ranging from 14 t0 19, at JHS. Of these students, 80% have been sexually harassed. These statistics are more than just a number; they’re a symbol of an entire generation of females fighting to put a stop to sexual harassment.

The 97% movement has received some backlash from those who disagree with the movement. The #NotAllMen hashtag began, intended to silence female survivors, attacking them for generalizing men for their safety. A study from stoprape.com shows that 99% of sexual perpetrators are male, 91% of the victims being female. Our survey shows that 10.8% of the students surveyed at JHS have been raped. Girls have been taught from a young age, the unspoken rules in order to stay safe: text me when you leave and when you get home, pretend you’re talking on the phone, don’t walk alone, walk in well-lit areas, pour your own drink and don’t set it down, keep your keys between your fingers like weapons, and the list goes on and on. Girls were told to go change their clothes, while boys were told to go play.

Men don’t have to take the same safety measures women do, which is exactly why the 97% movement is so important. 97% is too much, too many women. Too many friends, sisters, daughters, and mothers. Spread the word to #StopRape, because no means no.