University of Wisconsin Dean of Students Luoluo Hong approached Humanities Tuesday with confidence, ready and willing to share her personal story of rape and provide advice to both women and men on preventing sexual assault.

Hong addressed a group of individuals in her speech entitled “The Date that Lasts a Lifetime: Men and Women as Partners in Preventing Rape.” Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment, a UW student group, sponsored the event.

PAVE member Lisa Stephenson introduced Hong, listing off Hong’s numerous credentials and accomplishments. Stephenson stressed how PAVE continually tries to put a face on sexual assault.

“Luoluo is helping us do this in a big way,” Stephenson said.

Hong hoped to spark discussion about sexual assault on campus.

“I have come out of the closet, so to speak, as a survivor of sexual assault,” Hong began. She continued to inform the audience of how big of a step it was for her to speak on a campus of her own. Although Hong has given more than 1,500 presentations, she never shared the story of her rape with her current school of employment, as she did for the first time Tuesday.

Hong stated statistic after statistic, alarming the members of the audience. She said 35 sexual assaults were reported for every 1,000 students enrolled at every university in the United States. She said fewer than 5 percent of victims report offenses.

Hong also emphasized that 95 percent of perpetrators are men.

“We don’t like to single out men, but the truth is the truth,” Hong said. “I believe that not all men are rapists; what is clear is that most rapists are men.”

In addition, Hong expressed annoyance with individuals who say women should not put themselves in situations that could potentially be dangerous. “Don’t walk by yourself, walk with a purpose,” Hong said sarcastically, showing clear distaste for these messages.

She went on to say that she did all the “right” things, and yet it still happened to her.

Hong said that May 2, 1987, she walked home with a trusted friend, who followed her into her dormitory and proceeded to rape her three times that evening.

An emotional Hong shouted, “I did all the right things!” to the audience. She explained that even after taking all recommended precautions, she was sexually assaulted.

Hong stressed her belief that several difficult changes need to occur to stamp out sexual assault, including the shift of “cultural norms.”

“We need to fundamentally transform expectancies we have for men,” Hong said. She added that women should serve as allies in the process, but that “with men as the primary perpetrators, men are the only ones who have power to stop it.”

Hong left her audience teary-eyed.

“Luoluo is a very powerful speaker,” UW freshman Erin Brodhagen said. “Her speech was extremely informative and eye-opening at the same time. It is amazing that people have to go through experiences like she did with the resistances she encountered.”