March 10, 2015
It's On Us campaign combats sexual assault at K-State
Kansas State University's Center for Advocacy, Response and Education, or CARE, is launching this semester's It's On Us K-State campaign to raise awareness about issues surrounding sexual violence. The campaign challenges members of the community to become active bystanders, to educate themselves about sexual violence in their community and to support survivors of sexual violence.
It's On Us K-State informational tables will be at the K-State Student Union between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, and Thursday, March 12. Additionally, a table will be at Peters Recreation Complex from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, March 12, to encourage K-State students, faculty, staff and alumni to take the pledge against sexual assault. While supplies last, It's On Us K-State t-shirts will be given to those who sign the pledge.
Launched by the White House in 2014, the national It's On Us campaign led a movement to bring awareness to campuses across the nation. Several universities have begun their own version of the It's On Us campaign with the intention to decrease campus sexual assaults. The campaign empowers college students to be active bystanders and provide tips for bystander intervention. It defines consent, sexual violence and provides a basic understanding of Title IX policies and victim's rights.
Sexual assault affects thousands in our K-State family and across the nation. The facts are clear.
- 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men will experience sexual violence while in college (NIJ, CSA Final Report 2007)
- 92 percent of sexual assault victims know their attacker (KBI, 2012)
- 72 percent of college rapes happen when one or both individuals have been drinking (Univeristy of Buffalo Research Institute, 2014)
- The rate of false reports of sexual assault are between 2 and 8 percent, the same as other violent crimes (Lonsway, Archambault, & Lisak, 2009)
Over 550 members of the K-State and Manhattan community have taken the pledge. To learn more and take the K-State pledge against sexual violence, visit http://www.k-state.edu/care/itsonus/. Use the hashtag #itsonuskstate to get involved.