Several weeks ago, Twitter user “Jim Varona” tweeted: “Walking by yourself at night is an underrated therapy session.”

The tweet went viral, but not in a necessarily good way.

The replies to the tweet were filled with female users voicing their disagreement and disbelief at the misunderstanding that men seem to have regarding the female experience, especially when it comes to seemingly mundane activities, such as walking alone at night.

We, of course, do not want to paint an ignorant portrait of men here at The Globe. But as an editorial staff that has an overwhelmingly female majority, we would like to take this moment to educate.

Walking alone anywhere at night is a concern for many women. And the fears from women responding to the tweet are not unjustified. For women everywhere, the world is still a dangerous place.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), one-in-six women are the victims of attempted or completed rape. Nine out of every 10 rape victims are female, and the majority of rape victims, of any gender, are between the ages of 12 and 34.

These statistics are current. Yet, according to RAINN, the rate of sexual assault and rape has decreased 63% since 1993. But the problem still exists, and women are faced with the threat of violence every day.

It is permissible for individuals to express their own experiences online. It always will and should be acceptable to do so. But we implore you that should your personal experience differ from that of another, that you hear out what they have to say. Take the time to learn about the experiences of others and to become a part of the movement to make the lives of others better. Because that is how we are going to overcome the issues that plague us.