Photo provided by Victor Sims and the SG Communications Department
Mr. and Miss USFSP took the pledge to break the silence on sexual assault
USFSP is getting involved in the “It’s On Us” campaign to help bring awareness and end sexual assault.
According to Not Alone, the official U.S. Government website for sexual assault, one in five women is sexually assaulted in college and, although it happens less often, men are also victims of this crime. This is why President Obama launched the “It’s On Us” campaign on September 19th, 2014 to help bring awareness and end sexual assault on college campuses.
With this campaign, students affected by sexual assault can feel the support of their peers and that is exactly why USFSP is taking par. Victor Sims, the person leading the campaign for USFSP, created an acronym for USFSP and this campaign:
Ultimately Engaging
Students in the
Fight for
Sexual Assault
Problem
Sims, says, “USFSP is hoping that the student body, faculty, staff, and administration will work together to assert that it is on us, all of us, to ensure that every member of the Bulls community is educated on sexual assault and that every victim has the resources they deserve.”
USFSP will be promoting the “It’s On Us” campaign for 3 weeks. They’ve already started by decorating the Bull on Harbor Lawn, decorating the campus with as much teal as they could and putting facts on some of the trees near Bayboro Hall. There will be a Kickoff event coming up soon, as well as a discussion that is happening on November 10th at 5:13 p.m. where students and faculty will discuss the campaign.Sims says it’s important to get involved in this campaign because “it is meant to create a cultural shift in the way we think, talk and act around sexual assault.”
USFSP students can get involved by doing 3 things: 1) taking the pledge to speak up, 2) talking to their friends on how they can get involved and 3) doing the It’s On Us Tape Challenge on social media. If you’re wondering why tape is being used to bring awareness to sexual assault, the answer is simple, the taping of the mouth represents sexual assault victims whose voices were not heard because they stayed silent on their assault. The It’s On Us Tape challenge is letting these victims know that we will be there for them and we will speak up when we see or hear something.
Photo provided by Victor Sims and the SG Communications Department
Students in the compass program come together to demonstrate the bystander effect.
Photo provided by Tamiracle Williams and the SG Communications Department
Our very own Tamiracle Williams has taken apart in the “It’s On Us” tape challenge.
To sign the pledge, follow the link http://goo.gl/forms/hklLQOYpSt
HCXOXO,
Kelli Carmack
Resources: