An estimated one in five women will be be sexually assaulted during their college years.
Due to the growing problem of sexual assault on college campuses, the White House launched the It’s On Us awareness campaign in 2014.
USF St. Petersburg will be taking part in the campaign for the second year in a row. Student Government’s Secretary of Communications, David Thompson, has been preparing for this year’s events.
“I got to be a large part of planning it last year and saw what we should do differently and what really worked well last year,” he said.
Student Government has decided to extend the weeklong campaign to three weeks in order to get the message across.
“The first two weeks are really going to be about education about what sexual assault is [and] what this campaign is about. There will also be a lot of opportunities to take pictures to show support for sexual assault victims, as well as taking the It’s On Us pledge,” Thompson said.
The pledge is a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault. When taking the pledge, students are deciding to become a part of the solution towards ending sexual assault.
A big part of the campaign is the photos. Students hold up a sign that says “Break the Silence” with tape over their mouths to show their support for victims. Student Government will be tabling on Harborwalk Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. over the next two weeks so students can take part.
After the two weeks of education, there will be a week of events starting Oct. 24.
Thompson said the planning has been time consuming.
“It has been a lot of work because we are making such a big commitment to it,” he said.
“Typically, this is a one week campaign of action but we decided to do two weeks of awareness before we could actually start the week of Oct. 24.”
Thompson said there are a few different aspects students can take away from the campaign.
“They should take away the fact that they can do something about it. The It’s On Us campaign is about [saying] something if you see something. If you can intervene, do so, if you can’t, find someone who can,” he said.
Thompson also said it isn’t just about intervening when sexual assault is happening, but changing the conversation.
“Not everyone can go out and be a police officer and try to stop [sexual assault occurrences,] but it also comes with conversation [and] being respectful when talking about a man or a woman’s body. Or when someone is doing or saying something inappropriate, [call] them out on it.”
Thompson said his job is to plan awareness activities like this but many organizations outside of Student Government are taking a role during the week of events.
“I am the one coordinating it but it really is with the community and campus, which is what we really wanted to achieve this year,” he said.
The Multicultural Activities Council, the Career Center and the Office of Student Conduct will all be holding its own events. There will be a talk dedicated to sexual assault, another to sexual assault in the workplace and then a screening of “The Hunting Ground.”
Oct. 24
It’s On US Kick Off 12-1pm USC Lawn
Purple Dot Yoga 6-7pm Harbor Lawn
Oct. 25
MAC Real Talk: Breaking the Silence 1-2 PM Coral Room
Finding Resources Panel: 6-8 PM Ballroom 3
Oct. 26
Community Resource Fair 11-2 PM Harbor Walk
Career Center Workshop: Sexual Assault- & Sexual Harassment in the Workplace SLC 2101 6-7 PM
Oct. 27
The Hunting Ground Screening USC Ballroom 3 7- 9 PM
Tabling will occur the weeks of 17th and the 10th from 11-2 Tues. – Thur. on Harbor Lawn.
