To the OP, you will find misogyny and sexual assault crimes on every campus, in civilian workplaces, in a wide spread of career fields in and out of uniform. It is becoming incrementally better all the time, but stuff still happens.
You will pick your battles. Some you walk away from, some you stand and fight. Performance, performance, performance and relentless professionalism are the keys to combatting misogyny. A thick skin, a sense of humor, and a strong sense of who you are, your own power, and commitment to your goals and what is really important in life - they help too.
Sexual assault. You can do your part by minimizing your exposure to situations where you are vulnerable. We don’t blame the victim, but smart women (and men, as they are often the under-reported side of sexual assault victims) should always have situational awareness. Walking back late to dorm from the library? Walk with a buddy. Take a longer route that is better lit. Know where the blue call boxes are. At a party where the alcohol is way out of control? Leave. Ignore the teasing. Watch your own intake. It doesn’t take much at all to mess with your good judgment and decision-making. Don’t take a drink except from someone you know you can truly trust, not that good-looking, seems perfectly nice stranger who wanders over with 2 drinks in hand to say hi. Don’t leave your drink untended and go to the bathroom. If your gut is warning you about something or someone, listen to it. Always have an exit strategy. Get over worrying about someone might think you are “not nice,” empower yourself to scream if you need to, yell “no” or do whatever it takes to signal non-assent. Form alliances with trusted friends to get each other back safely.
At my own college, back in the 20th C., I saw friends straggle back from parties in a daze, having no idea what happened to them but knowing something invasive had, and not knowing who, how many, how. Heartbreaking. There would be “Ladies’ Punch,” sweet fruit drinks liberally spiked with Everclear grain alcohol at staggeringly high proofs. I had no problem being a complete nerd and carried my own half bottle of cabernet and cheerfully waved off those pushing unknown beverages at me, owning up to be too chicken to try anything because I’d lose my scholarship. I had never lost control in high school, and I had no intention of doing so in college - I had places to go, things to do, and people to meet.
At VMI, I am quite sure the men and women you meet will be just like people you are leaving behind. You will form strong bonds through shared struggles, make friends for life, gain a new family. They will look out for you. You will look out for them. There is a whole pile of good people waiting to meet you.
Keep your heart and mind focused on your goals, and assess choices and decisions through that lens. You will grow in confidence and power, and be less influenced by peer pressure and opinion. It is a wonderful feeling to be young, smart, strong and firmly in command of your own mind and body. Embrace that person and ignore those who seek to derail you. Mental and physical strength, integrity, personal power and command presence are beautiful things in a woman. People who cannot appreciate that about you are not worth your time.