It’s On Us: Nationwide and in PA

“It is on all of us to reject the quiet tolerance of sexual assault and to refuse to accept what’s unacceptable.”

In 2014, President Obama launched the It’s On Us campaign with Vice President Biden, which focuses on ending sexual assault on campus. “To work so hard to make it through the college gates only to be assaulted is “an affront to our basic humanity,” President Obama said.

The campaign aims to:

• Recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault.
• Identify situations in which sexual assault may occur.
• Intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given.
• Create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.

It’s On Us PA

Pennsylvania has joined Obama in this movement, and aims to collaborate with students, university presidents, administrators, families, and the community to change the culture of sexual violence. Governor Wolf plans to partner with universities as well as rape crisis centers across the state. For the Wolf administration, the aims are to:

• Improve awareness, prevention, reporting, and response systems in schools, colleges and universities to better serve all students.
• Remove/reduce barriers that prevent survivors from reporting and/or accessing vital resources by creating a more consistent, empowering reporting process for student survivors of gender based violence.
• Demonstrate significant, proactive, and sustainable leadership to change campus culture by challenging Pennsylvania’s education leaders – including college and university presidents, superintendents – as well as students, teachers, faculty, staff, families, and communities to pledge to improve their institutions’ climate.

Read more about It On Us Pa here and here .

The Pledge

Everyone can all make a positive impact on the cycle of sexual violence. We can all play an important role. Rather than remaining silent, let’s raise our voices together. Take the Pledge. #ItsOnUsPa

I pledge to:

To recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault.

To Identify situations in which sexual assault may occur.

To intervene in situations where consent is not or cannot be given.

To create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.