The Human Resources Department hosted a fall week of action for the “It’s On Us” campaign.
“It’s On Us” is a national campaign started by The White House in 2014 to specifically address campus sexual assault.
“What this program means is that it’s on all of us,” said Remy Barnett, Title IX Investigator. “It’s all of our responsibility as members of the community to prevent sexual violence on our campus.”
OCU has been using “It’s On Us” programs and materials for some time, but the week of action is relatively new nationwide, Barnett said.
The campaign started with a pledge day on Oct. 21 outside the caf. Students and faculty were able to sign and hang up pledge cards saying that the issue of sexual assault matters to them.
Close to 100 pledges were made in an hour and a half.
“It’s important to acknowledge that sexual assault is still a very taboo subject,” said Kimberlea Harlow, Title IX StuPro. “’It’s On Us’ allows us to be a more supportive campus regarding sexual assault by allowing us to pull it out into the light and remove that taboo around it. We want to make it easier for the people on our campus to report and say something if they see something.”
Title IX reports can be made in person or via phone call, email or an online complaint form through the Human Resources website.
“We want to make sure everyone is aware of their rights under Title IX, as well as help them resolve their issues and get them support,” Barnett said.
For more information, Title IX related books and movies are being displayed in the library for use.
“I want this to be something the campus community really embraces,” Harlow said. “OCU is a family environment and people really care about each other on this campus. I think this can be very successful here – we just need engagement and people joining and changing the conversation.”
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