‘It’s on Us’ to prevent sexual assault at USD

Rape.

It’s a four-letter word not many people like to talk about, especially when it’s discussed in relation to college students.

Rape isn’t just something that happens at large colleges — it’s something that has happened here at USD and to USD students, and something that will happen again unless steps are taken to address the issue. It’s not an issue just for university administrators to deal with though, but an issue that professors must address, an issue that staff must address and an issue that students have to as well.

Colleges around the nation are trying to bring more awareness to rape and sexual assaults on campuses, with a strong focus on educating students about not blaming victims and understanding how to identify a sexual assault situation.

The Obama Administration launched the “It’s On Us” campaign in 2014, which aims to raise awareness and to end sexual assault on college campuses, as it’s a constant, nationwide problem.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted their first year on campus.

The It’s On Us campaign advocates to not only bring awareness of the issue to campuses, but to also teach people when and how to identify sexual assault situations, to intervene when there are non-consensual situations and “to create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported,” according to the campaign website.

This campaign is imperative in educating the public, both on campus and off, as well as explicitly stating what’s regarded as consensual sex and what isn’t.

The statistics regarding sexual assaults on college campuses are terrifying. Students should be able to live on campus without fearing for their safety, which, when looking at the numbers, isn’t the case as of now.

The safety of men and women is vital on college campuses — no one should be victimized by people who think it’s okay to take advantage of someone, especially if they’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Being drunk doesn’t give someone the right to rape or mean that it’s okay for someone to be raped.

It’s On Us, as evidenced in the name, also emphasizes that it’s on everyone to report sexual assaults. As students at USD, it’s on us to look out for one another, to intervene in situations where rape might occur and to be supportive of individuals who have been raped and want to come forward to report it.

At USD, students shouldn’t be afraid to discuss rape. Administrators and professors should facilitate discussions on the subject and encourage students to take part. More emphasis should also be put on educating incoming students about the topic.

Ultimately it’s up to us, as the next generation of politicians, journalists, health care providers, teachers and leaders to fix this major issue.

It’s something that won’t be easy.

The solutions to sexual assault aren’t straightforward and the issue won’t be fixed right away. However, we can’t start to fix the problem until we admit there is one and start to talk about it.

Now’s the time to start the discussion.