AUSTIN, Texas — Former and current Texas A&M students are sharing their stories as survivors of sexual misconduct, while starting a #MeToo movement of their own.

The initiative comes after a current student named Hannah Shaw criticized the university in a tweet for not doing enough to punish the athlete found responsible for sexually assaulting her. 

Shaw tweeted an image of an email from the Department of Athletics, and said “I’m unhappy the boy who r*ped me is back on the swim team.” The tweet has since been shared more than 16,000 times, as of Monday night. It reached Texas A&M graduate Meghan Romere. 

“One of my friends knows my story and she sent it to me and said, 'Look at this, someone else has this problem too,'” Romere said. “It wasn’t a one time lack of due process in my case, it was a systemic, problematic cultural issue, procedural issue from the top and I couldn’t stay silent any more.”

Through social media, Romere found fellow Aggie Abbie Hillis. Hillis went public with her story after she started seeing other women come forward and wants to see change. She also believes the university did not handle her case well. 

“They kind of like make you believe that they’re going to have your back and they tell you things that guide you in a sense of comfort and once the process is over and done with, you realize very quickly that that’s not the case,” Hillis said. 

Hillis now started a private Facebook group with about 400 members. She said many were people who were once scared, but not anymore.

“Let’s band together, because there’s strength in numbers and let’s take a solution to the university,” Hillis said.  

“All of us are different, but we all have in common that you know the university did not stand up for us when we needed them the most,” Romere said. 

The women are calling on A&M to implement new policies and procedures, and more resources for victims on campus. Both women still wear their college rings.

“We’re not being true Aggies when we are upholding these kind of horrific actions,” Romere said. 

“I’m still proud to be an Aggie,” Hillis said, “But, I also am proud to say that I’m part of a movement, that we’re going to demand change from the university and we’re not going to allow this culture to continue.”

In a statement, Texas A&M says it does not comment on individual cases, but does impose sanctions, including suspension and dismissal, if students are found responsible for sexual misconduct.

"Texas A&M investigates every claim of sexual misconduct. When violations are confirmed, sanctions are imposed in all cases," according to the statement. "We have a deep commitment to a safe, secure environment for all students; to a fair investigative process; to rights of appeals by parties; and to rendering sanctions to those found responsible for sexual misconduct."