This Column Is Not For Women Only.

On a night like Monday’s, we would be foolish not to let that cool wind enveloping the Lakefill consume our little invincible souls – souls that have been so hardened by the ugliness of recent events. I wasn’t jogging because I was working.

But we know now that one woman was jogging Monday, probably too exhilarated by the tranquility of that night to take any special care of anything at all. I personally have shut off on that route countless times and let the waves pouncing on the rocks do the talking.

But listen:

We’re all guilty of making ourselves vulnerable to the kind of atrocity that occurred on those rocks that night – we’re guilty all the time. And defenselessness has nothing to do with gender, either, because I, too, could have been that woman, assaulted and mortified by a monster.

The truth is that every time we go out there unequipped – that is, without a companion, without pepper spray, without a rape whistle, a bat, anything – we’re saying, “Hey, I can handle an attacker with sheer strength.”

I don’t care if you’re the biggest, boldest woman, or even linebacker Billy Silva; there’s a good chance you’re going to be overpowered by such a beast if that beast is hungry enough.

But don’t listen to anyone who says not to go. That’s absurd. We “Take Back the Night” together every year to celebrate our freedom on these streets, not to give them up to fear.

Don’t abuse that freedom – protect yourself.

This is no one’s fault. Why point fingers at the university about lighting? That, I assure you, will be fixed now, but something of this magnitude, I can imagine, is never anticipated.

Yet maybe, as an act of sympathy, or to at least show this woman how horrific the whole thing was in our eyes, we should wise up and be more cautious.

Recall those three tedious “Responsibilities” courses you were required to take before you could step into a classroom at this university. Why not give us pepper spray? Or a whistle?

Heck, maybe somebody will finally say, “Hey, this is serious.”

Covering that story at 1 a.m. Tuesday was one of eeriest things I’ve ever done. I had seen the bludgeoned woman being taken away by the paramedics and the part of me that wasn’t being a journalist was afraid she’d never be the same person again.

I hope that isn’t the case.

By the time I got out to where the cops were, the drop in temperature was almost unbearable, and the silence nearly drove me mad, but nothing could overcome the sensation of disgust that came over me every time I imagined the woman being dragged 20 feet from the walkway to the rocks, where she was beaten and assaulted.

Just think about watching one of those nature specials where a single, unexpected zebra is crushed and devoured by a pitiless lion. Think of the blood and the mercilessness there.

I implore you to be more cautious when you wander out. Go prepared. We want you back.