It’s on us to stop sexual assault.  On Friday, September 19, 2014, the White House launched the Itsonus campaign website aimed at combating sexual assault on college campuses.

The White House has enlisted Hollywood stars including Jon Hamm of Mad Men and Connie Britton of Nashville to help fight campus sexual assault.

President Obama and Vice President Biden are unveiling the “It’s On Us” campaign Friday at a White House event.

The campaign is supported by partners who plan to help spread the message, including the NCAA, Big Ten, Pac-12 and other conferences and media companies with reach among students. The NCAA plans to promote anti-assault messages on screens at their championship events. Video-game maker Electronic Arts will encourage fans to pledge to support the campaign through its online platforms. And media giant Viacom will promote the messages on websites, including for music channels MTV, VH1, BET and CMT.

According to the New York State Coalition on Sexual Assault:

• 1 in 4 college women will be the victim of sexual assault during her college years. This is on average. This doesn’t mean that literally every four women you count on a college campus has been the victim of sexual assault.
• 80% of all sexual assaults are committed by an acquaintance of the victim.  Think about the people in your life. Your friends. Your classmates. Your RA. Your fellow club members. Your fellow sports team members.  The victims of sexual assault on college campuses knew their attacker to one degree or another.  The public perception that rape is largely, or wholly, committed by strangers is a false narrative that needs to end. NOW.
• 56% of girls and 76% of boys who took a high school survey said that forced sex may sometimes be acceptable.  This. Is. Wrong.  Forced sex is non-consensual sex.  Forced sex is rape, and will always be rape.  If you want to have sex, make sure you have consent.  After all, why wouldn’t you want the person or persons you’re with to *want* to be with you?  Don’t you want to have consensual sexy funtimes where you and your partner (or partners) are enthusiastically enjoying yourselves?  I know I do. To get that, consent MUST be had and MUST be maintained. Remember, at any time, consent can be withdrawn by any party.  Also, consent to certain activities is not consent to others.
• Approximately half of all violent crime victims knew their attackers.  More than 70% of rape victims knew theirs.  Think on that for a moment. Think of the people in your life.  Your family. Your friends. Your fellow church-goers. Your co-workers.  Your neighbors.

What can you do? Use these tools and  take this pledge.  

I took the pledge.  Will you?