It's On Us was founded in September 2014 as an initiative of the Obama-Biden White House. The program launched following recommendations from the White House Task Force to Prevent Sexual Assault that noted the importance of calling everyone into the conversation on sexual assault prevention.

I PLEDGE TO: I pledge to Start By Believing, to provide as much support for sexual assault victims as I can offer, and to seek justice for perpetrators of sexual violence all the while empowering sexual assault victims to help end their silence.

Teach potential bystanders that they have a role in changing the culture around tolerating violence and can learn to safely intervene in potentially harmful situations. By encouraging a culture where sexual violence is not tolerated, a safer campus is more likely to be achieved.

Me Too movement, awareness movement around the issue of sexual harassment and sexual abuse of women in the workplace that grew to prominence in 2017 in response to news reports of sexual abuse by American film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Step in and say or do something to stop the situation. · For example, if someone is trying to take an intoxicated student to a room, you can directly intervene by taking the person aside and saying, “Hey man, she looks drunk.

Three main defenses can be used to fight a rape charge: innocence, consent, and insanity. Innocence. An innocence claim is a fundamental defense for all crimes, including rape and sexual assault.

Silence and Sitting Count as Speech (Learn more about when schools may limit students' free speech rights.) Federal appellate courts have agreed that public schools may not force students to stand during the pledge of allegiance.

Alcohol. A large proportion of sexual assaults and alleged sexual assaults occur when one party, or usually both parties, have been drinking heavily. Heavy drinking makes memory gappy and adjudication very difficult. In general campuses need to do much better with alcohol education and treatment.

Sexual violence on campus is pervasive. 13% of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation (among all graduate and undergraduate students).

The 'me too. ' Movement believes in the radical possibilities of a movement against sexual violence, led by survivors of sexual violence. When survivors channel their unique empathy in community with one another, and in service of a future free from sexual violence, that's when change happens.

Our work is survivor-centered and survivor-led, focused on strategies and tactics that support those harmed by sexual violence to survive, heal, and take action in service of creating systemic change that interrupts, prevents, and ends sexual violence.

How You Can Intervene Safely: When it comes to intervening safely, remember the four Ds – direct, distract, delegate, delay. Call out negative behaviour, tell the person to stop or ask the victim if they are OK.