Dear Members of the Northwestern Community,

A few weeks ago, more than 15 communities at Northwestern wrote a letter encouraging students to participate in the “It’s On Us” campaign to end sexual assault on campus. This week, NU is joining with universities and colleges across the nation in the National Week of Action to shift the way we think about sexual assault.

The well known statistics surrounding sexual assault are alarming. One in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted during college. The majority of these assaults go unreported. Addressing such a pervasive issue requires the mobilization of our entire NU community. A real solution includes all of us.

Within our communities and our involvements, we are working to shift the way we think about sexual assault. We need to raise awareness, provide education and hold ourselves and each other accountable for creating a solution to this problem that extends beyond NU. We will lead our communities in conversations — both formal and informal — about sexual violence and consent. We will encourage members of our communities to participate in bystander intervention training. Most of all, we will watch out for our peers and take action in unsafe situations.

As a first step, we have created the website itsonus.asg.northwesern.edu for resources, videos and information about how each of us can step up against sexual assault. It also includes a schedule of events happening this week on topics such as sexual violence, active consent and “Yes Means Yes.”

However, ending sexual assault on college campuses will extend beyond this National Week of Action. This is just the beginning of meaningful conversations on how each of our communities intersect with the issue of sexual assault. Because this issue is not unique to one area of NU, each and every one of us needs to be part of the solution.

It’s On Us:

To recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault.

To identify situations in which sexual assault may occur.

To intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given.

To create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.

Together, let’s reframe the issue of sexual assault in a way that inspires everyone to see it as their responsibility to do something — big or small — to prevent it. We deserve to learn, live and love at a campus where sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.

It’s on us. All of us.

Signed,

Julia Watson

President, Associated Student Government

Haley Hinkle

Director of Campus Safety, Associated Student Government

A&O Productions

Alianza

Asian Pacific American Coalition

Associated Student Government

Boomshaka

College Feminists

Contemporary Thought Speaker Series

For Members Only

Global Engagement Summit

Mayfest

Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault

Multicultural Greek Council

Northwestern Athletics

Northwestern Community Development Corps

Northwestern Interdisciplinary Law Review

Northwestern Interfraternity Council

Northwestern Muslim-cultural Student Association

Northwestern Panhellenic Association

Northwestern Political Union

Northwestern Student Theatre Coalition

Northwestern Sustained Dialogue

Northwestern University Conference on Human Rights

Northwestern University Dance Marathon

Northwestern Wildside

NU Hillel

Rainbow Alliance

Residential College Board

Residence Hall Association

Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators

South Asian Students Alliance