It's 8:00 p.m. on April 17, 2016. Approximately 275 members of the Misericordia community sat huddled in the amphitheater. Athletes, PHREE representatives, resident assistants, performers, coaches, staff, President Botzman, and other Misericordia students were apart of the crowd. I myself was incredibly excited for the night's event. The campus would be joining the It's On Us campaign, a national movement to raise awareness about sexual assault in order to educate others and put an end to this terrible phenomenon.

The night started with a brief introduction of President Botzman, followed by the advisor of PHREE, an on-campus organization that promotes healthy relationships and empowerment. Following these short speeches, two students, a campus couple, performed a breathtaking dance meant to represent the trust that should be present in a relationship. A girl read a speech about what it is like to be the person someone turns to when they are sexually assaulted. Another spoke of his experience of knowing a victim of sexual assault. A love poem was read, and Lauren Hayden performed Lady Gaga's "Until It Happens to You." The president of student life spoke to the crowd, and Beyond Harmony performed an a capella arrangement of "Fix You" by Coldplay. The event ended with a video officially launching the campaign and the attendees signing the pledge to help put an end to sexual violence. The video featured students, staff, faculty, and coaches speaking out against sexual assault.

It is important to raise awareness about sexual assault, particularly on college campuses. Being a college student increases one's risk of being a victim of sexual violence, no matter your gender, race, or sexuality. Sexual assault, and the larger rape culture that allows this type of violence to thrive is growing, and it is up to us to take a stand and denounce the culture. I am proud to have been apart of such an amazing evening and to have been apart of Misericordia's first step in addressing an issue that goes far beyond our small campus.

It's time to stop being a bystander. It's time to stop blaming the victim. It's time to intervene when something doesn't look right, even if they tell you it's none of your business. It's time to be the voice for someone who may not be able to say "no" on their own. It's time to stop sexual violence. It's on us to change the world in which we live. It's on us to stand together and stand against sexual assault.