On September 19th, 2014, President Obama launched the "It's On Us" initiative- an awareness campaign helping to end sexual assault on college campuses.
"As far as we’ve come, the fact is that from sports leagues to pop culture to politics, our society still does not sufficiently value women," he said. "We still don’t condemn sexual assault as loudly as we should. We make excuses. We look the other way. The message that sends can have a chilling effect [on young men and women]."
As students, we dream of the great college experience. We hope for classes that challenge our mentalities, but don't leave us dorm ridden for hours upon hours doing homework. We hope for the hype of game day and the pre-game festivities. We hope to graduate and pursue a career that complements our strengths. Some of us hope to meet the love of our lives at college. Some of us hope to build lifelong friendships. With so many hopes for college, it's easy to get lost in the moment; it's easy to be distracted by the good, and grow blind to the potential bad. No one hopes to fall victim to sexual assault, however, one of the biggest problems facing college students is sexual assault.
Far too often bystanders to sexual assault or warning signs of sexual assault remain solely bystanders. We as bystanders have the power to be, or be part of, the solution.
The raw facts are
1 in 5 women, and 1 in 16 men, are sexually assaulted in college.
Only 13 percent of rape survivors report assault.
8 in 10 survivors knew their attacker (friend, significant other, etc).
40 percent of survivors fear retaliation by their attacker.
It's On Us allows anyone and everyone to pledge to be more than a bystander. In hopes of creating safer campuses nationwide, in dorms, bars, parking lots, etc. May every step a college student takes, be not of paranoia, but of awareness and precaution. To help make this dream become true, each individual that becomes a part of It's On Us pledges to much more than simply holding themselves accountable for their own actions.
Pledging to join the It's On Us is a pledge to
Be more than a bystander; Stop a sexual assault any way we can
Create an environment where everyone feels, and is, safe
Get someone home safely if he or she needs help
Hold self and friends accountable to own actions
Keep an eye on someone in a vulnerable situation
Help a survivor report a sexual assault if he or she wants to
Never blame the victim
I decided to pledge in allegiance with It's On Us because I want the statistics to decrease, and safety to increase. I have helped friends report sexual assault. I have answered calls from friends that have been assaulted and dropped off in an unknown location. I have stepped in when I felt the need to do so. I know what vulnerability generally looks like. I know we do not live in a perfect world. Therefore, although I have been much more than a bystander as is, I am challenging myself to bring change about those I encounter as I head off to college this fall. I want each and every person on campus to know that they are NOT ALONE. Together we can create a safer environment. Together we can redefine social norms. Together we can bring reform. It's on us.
To join take the pledge at http://itsonus.org/.
To victims, who are survivors of what no one should ever have to even fear going through, remember these few things. It wasn't your fault. What you were wearing or how much you drank didn't give your attacker the consent to pursue you. You should not have had to worry of such an inhumane act to have occurred. There are professionals that have experienced and/or studied sexual assault who are here to listen and direct you.
If you're a victim or survivor or helping someone in that situation, visit notalone.gov to get the resources and information you may need. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.
