White House Campaign Focuses On College Campus Sexual Assaults
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - President Obama and Vice President Biden are presenting a united front on the issue of sexual assaults on college campuses. Friday the White House lunched the "It's On Us" campaign, aimed at changing the statistic that one in five women will experience an assault while on campus at the country's colleges and universities.
The new campaign is meant to raise awareness.
President Obama said, "The idea is to fundamentally shift the way we think about sexual assault."
The goal is to get everyone - especially men - to speak up if they see something.
"The truth is, it's not just okay to intervene," the President said plainly. "It is your responsibility."
The White House is partnering with nearly 200 schools including American University to raise awareness about sexual assaults from the moment students step on campus.
Daniel Rappaport said, "It's about time."
Rappaport, who is also the sexual assault prevention coordinator at American University, began his training program with the school's athletic teams.
"We want them to know the step up. Intervene on situations that are concerning to them. To trust their instinct."
Sophomore Lauren Evins will soon train other students on bystander intervention.
"I have several friends that have been impacted by sexual assault and sexual violence," she said. "And it's something that's really touched me since coming to AU. And it's something that I really do want to get involved in."
The White House plans to give out $6 million in college grants to add to prevention programs.
Click here to take the It's On Us pledge or to find out more about the campaign.
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