A new initiative aimed at changing the way people think and act regarding sexual assaults rolled out this week and is gaining momentum across the nation.
The “It’s On Us” National Week of Action kicked off Monday and is aimed at mobilizing students to take action to prevent sexual assault. Colleges and universities across the nation will host more than 130 events and over 40 schools have created their own It’s On Us PSAs.
The initiative issues several goals as part of its platform of raising awareness of sexual assaults.
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 is a rallying cry inviting everyone to step up and realize that the solution begins with us. It’s a declaration that sexual assault is not only a crime committed by a perpetrator against a victim, but a societal problem in which all of us have a role to play. We are reframing sexual assault in a way that inspires everyone to see it as their responsibility to do something, big or small, to prevent it. We are asking everyone to create an environment, be it a dorm room, a party, a club or a sports team, or the greater college campus, where sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported. Raising awareness. Holding ourselves and each other accountable. Looking out for someone who cannot consent. It’s On Us … All of us.”
UCF’s own It’s On Us page gives several facts related to sexual assaults.
– 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted in college
– 40% of survivors fear reprisal by their attacker
– Only 2% of incapacitated rape survivors report assault
– Only 13% of rape survivors report assault
– 8 in 10 victims knew their attacker (friend, significant other, etc.)
– It is estimated that between 2%-7% of sexual assault reports are false
The campaign’s site also gives several bystander tips, aimed at fostering a preventative environment for sexual assaults.
– Talk to your friends honestly and openly about sexual assault.
– Don’t just be a bystander – if you see something intervene, in any way you can.
– Trust your gut. If something looks like it might be a bad situation, it probably is.
– Be direct. Ask someone who looks like they may need help if they’re okay.
– Get someone to help you if you see something – enlist a friend, RA, bartender, or host to help step in.
– If you see someone who is too intoxicated to consent, enlist their friends to help them leave safely.
– Recognize the potential danger of someone who talks about planning to target another person at a party.
– Be aware if someone is deliberately trying to intoxicate, isolate, or corner someone else.
– Get in the way by creating a distraction, drawing attention to the situation, or separating them.
– Understand that if someone does not or cannot consent to sex, it’s rape.
– Never blame the victim.
UCF has a variety of ways in which students can report an incident, get help, get involved and be a part of the awareness movement.
UCF Victim Services provides advocacy and support to the UCF Community, 24/7, including weekends and holidays. Counseling and Psychological Services offers crisis intervention services during regular office hours.
Health Services provides low-cost health services to the UCF community and the University Of Central Florida Police Department provides Law Enforcement services to University Community as well as several University Affiliated Housing Communities near the campus.
UCF Shield is a new resource that addresses sexual misconduct — including sexual assault, stalking, and harassment—by explaining what it is, what to do if it happens, where to go for support, and more.
Visit the It’s On Us page to take the pledge to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault and promise not to be a bystander to the problem, but to be a part of the solution.
