If you found yourself on the Internet a couple weeks ago, chances are you probably saw #TheDress. Many social media users found themselves frustrated over a debate of the color of this dress. Many people saw the dress as white and gold, while others saw it as blue and black.

When the Salvation Army saw all the attention this was getting, they turned it into a powerful ad in South Africa. The ad shows a woman wearing #TheDress in white and gold, while her body is covered in black and blue bruises.

“Why is it so hard to see black and blue?” the ad reads.

When the Salvation Army released this ad, it received great praise. Many people were excited to see #TheDress used for good, raising awareness for women who are victims of domestic violence.

“One in six woman are victims of abuse,” the smaller print reads.

Although this ad was released in South Africa, it applies to women in the United States as well. Nearly three in 10 women in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner.

Hopefully release of this ad will continue to raise awareness of domestic violence and encourage people to talk about this issue.

After recently surveying students on our campus about their thoughts on rape culture and sexual abuse, it’s clear that this is still a taboo topic to many people.

In order to fix a problem we must start talking about it.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, one out of every four American women will be abused in a relationship and one out of every six American women will be raped during her lifetime.

These statistics may scare people and leave them startled. People often hear about rape in the news, but it doesn’t seem to have an immediate effect on anyone.

Unfortunately, this issue is all around us and there is no running from it.

The first place to start talking about domestic violence and rape culture begins in the home. Parents need to learn to teach their children what is right and wrong in sexual relationships.

The most important thing that needs to be taught is consensual sex.

If your partner isn’t comfortable having sex, don’t do it. Remember the simplest thing, only yes means yes.

Many parents often leave their children’s school responsible for teaching them about sex. Although schools talk about it, they don’t spend much time on the topic.

Sex education usually consists of a brief explanation of the reproductive system and ends with showing pictures of extreme cases of STD’s.

That is the important stuff. It’s also important to teach your children the importance of a healthy relationship. Almost half of domestic violence cases go unreported. The number one reason being that the victim is fearful that their abusive partner will retaliate in a more violent way.

Domestic violence statistics show that a woman is beaten every nine seconds in the U.S. So in the three minutes it took you to read this article, 20 women were beaten.

Many people will soon forget about this ad, but remember that every minute six more people become victims of domestic violence. The change can start with you.