By Jenna Collins
Sexual assault happens far too often in America, especially on college campuses, and something needs to be done to put an end to it. Unfortunately, many survivors choose not to report their assaults, and attempt to deal with it alone. That is not the proper way to deal with this situation.
Victims need support and they need to know that what happened to them is not their fault. They need to know that there are people out there who support them and are willing to help.
This is why President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden launched the “It’s On Us” campaign on Sept. 19 to prevent sexual assault on college campuses. “It’s On Us” is inviting everyone to take a stand and become a part of the solution by pledging to keep women and men safe from sexual assault.
Supporters of the campaign pledge “to recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault; to identify situations in which sexual assault may occur; to intervene in situation where consent has not or cannot be given; and to create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported,” according to its website, ItsOnUs.org.
According to Kyle Lierman, a writer for The White House Blog, studies have estimated that one in every five women is sexually assaulted while attending college. Despite this outrageous number of sexual assaults, only 13 percent of all survivors report their assault. Most women are assaulted in their first two years of college, usually by someone they know.
Sexual assault doesn’t just hurt the victim when it occurs; it hurts family and friends of the victim as well. It hurts the community. It hurts us all. In America, a sexual assault occurs every two minutes, according to statistics produced by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization.
A sexual assault occurring every two minutes is an outrageously large number. It’s disgusting and it’s sad that women have to deal with the after effects of being assaulted. What gives anyone the right to violate another human being? There is no reason whatsoever.
At parties, women have to wonder whether they’ll be safe drinking anything that they don’t make themselves, or bring their own drinks to the parties they go to. A group of undergraduate students at North Carolina State University are developing a nail polish that can detect date rape drugs by dipping your finger in the drink.
It’s incredibly sad that this is what our society has come to. Despite the fact that this is a brilliant and probably life-saving idea, it should not have to be necessary. Rape is far too common. One victim is one victim too many.
Hopefully, the campaign will help to raise the awareness we need to in order to take a stand against sexual assault and eventually end it altogether. This campaign is only the beginning of the end to sexual assault on both women and men everywhere, especially on college campuses across the country. There is far more work to do, and this campaign has only just started.
At the launch of the campaign, Obama said, “To the survivors who are leading the fight against sexual assault on campuses, your efforts have helped start a movement. I can only imagine how long and lonely your fight must feel. And that’s why we’re all here today — to say that it’s not on you; it’s not your fight to wage alone; it’s on us — all of us — to fight campus sexual assault. You are not alone. We’ve got your back.”
Victims need to know they have support, and by pledging to the campaign, we are letting them know that we are here to support them, whether we know who they are or not. We need to band together in order to work towards ending this epidemic of sexual assault. It’s on us to become a part of the solution and not be bystanders. If we are all bystanders, then no one will work towards helping victims and preventing future victims from being assaulted.
I encourage you all to take the pledge to help end sexual assault everywhere. For more information on the “It’s On Us” campaign and to pledge your support, go to ItsOnUs.org.
