The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Athletics Participating In "It's On Us" Initiative
1/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | General
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - University athletics departments around the country are using the power of sports to help put an end to sexual assault on college campuses, and UAB has joined that effort.
The UAB athletics department announced Wednesday its plans to participate in the "It's On Us" initiative, an awareness and action campaign launched by U.S. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden and designed to address - and put an end to - the growing problem of sexual assault at colleges and universities around the country. An estimated one in five women are sexually assaulted during her college years, and only 12 percent of those assaults get reported. Only a fraction of the offenders get punished.
The "It's On Us" initiative asks everyone - men and women - to make a personal commitment to step off the sidelines and be a part of the solution by taking a pledge to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault. The initiative asks each person to:
• Recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault
• Identify situations in which sexual assault may occur
• Intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given
• Create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.
UAB athletics has released a video featuring student-athletes speaking out against sexual assault and being a part of the "It's On Us" initiative. The athletic department will release the video through all of its social media channels, including Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, who is leading the initiative. The video will also be played at spring sporting events as a way to reach the general student population.
"I got involved with this initiative because sexual assault has affected student-athletes at other campuses and I want to be part of the proactive solution here at UAB," said women's tennis student-athlete and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President Catherine Ragon. "This is a good thing for UAB and we hope that students and staff across campus will take the pledge with us and stand up against sexual assault."
The NCAA, Conference USA and many others conference across the country are partners in this initiative. For more information about the initiative and to take the pledge, please visit the website at www.itsonus.org.
For the latest news on Blazer sports, follow the UAB Athletics Twitter account, @UABathletics. For more information on Blazer student-athletes academic and community involvement, follow @UABsaac on Twitter.
