RELEASE: It’s On Us Campaign Launches New PSA ‘We Can’ and Official Partner School Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2016

Kicking off today, It’s On Us will world premiere its new PSA titled “We Can,” highlighting ways that we can intervene and be active bystanders. The PSA features real life heroes who have stepped in to stop sexual assaults. In tandem, MTV will roll-out four short-form documentaries on the four bystanders featured in the PSA across all of its digital screens and social accounts. To view the PSA, click here, and to view the mini-docs, click here. The It’s On Us “We Can” PSA was developed pro bono by creative agency Mekanism in partnership with social media agency Epic Signal and entertainment company Above Average.

“When I first became involved in It’s On Us, it was because I was a victim of sexual assault,” shared Lisa Napper, an It’s On Us Champion for Change featured in the ‘We Can’ PSA,” but I became a survivor as I began to advocate for others. Now I want to inspire others to use their voice and their stories to create real change.”

Starting today, MTV is also launching a custom resource hub at consent.mtv.com which includes a special “It’s On Us” action center available at us.lookdifferent.org. The new It’s On Us action center features the “It’s On Us” Bystander Story-Sharing Tool where young people will be encouraged to stand-up and submit their own stories of bystander intervention, the “It’s On Us” campus organizing toolkit, a bystander tip sheet, and call to take a stand on rape culture on social media with #ItsOnUs. Today’s announcement builds on MTV’s anti-bias campaign, Look Different, and its ongoing dedication to addressing the underlying issues that contribute to rape and sexual assault — from toxic masculinity and misconceptions about consent to victim-blaming, public policy and more. On television, MTV will exclusively debut “We Can” tonight, Tuesday, November 15 during the premiere of its new scripted series “Sweet/Vicious” at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. An offbeat superhero story, “Sweet/Vicious” follows Jules and Ophelia, hell-bent on bringing justice to those who are getting away with abuse on their college campus.

In coordination with the release of this new PSA, It’s On Us will release a list of 28 new It’s On Us Campus Innovation Partner Schools. These institutions have made a commitment to step up and take innovative action steps towards changing the culture around sexual assault on their campuses. It’s On Us Campus Innovation Partner Schools will work with It’s On Us to bring the campaign’s message, branding, and innovative student and community engagement tactics to the institutional level. The Campus Innovation Program is extremely unique in its goal to amplify the incredible work that is already being done by students and administrators across the nation, and to help institutions implement and organize sustainable change. The program also includes access to the Culture of Respect Collective, a new online platform that allows campus stakeholders from across the country work together on a framework for effectively addressing sexual violence.

“We’re excited to launch our partnership with our ‘It’s On Us Campus Innovation Partner Schools’ and collaborate more directly with campus administrators” Rebecca Kaplan, Director of It’s On Us said. “This program will spark innovation and highlight institutions that are taking creative approaches to prevention education.”

The Campus Innovation Program components include:

• It’s On Us Official Campus Partners: Work directly with It’s On Us staff and join the network of the campaign’s 95 partners across a variety of sectors working to end sexual violence on campuses nationwide.
• Branding, Materials and Trainings: Access to customizable and unique It’s On Us branding, materials, and trainings. Materials will include toolkits, posters, digital banners, videos, and discussion guides.
• Administrator Network: Robust network of campus administrators and ability to share best practices and insights across campuses.
• Student Engagement: Collaboration with It’s On Us Student Network and cross-communication infrastructure between students and administrators across campuses to ensure active dialogue and student presence at the table.

Additionally, the CIP program gives participants full access to the Culture of Respect Collective. The Collective is an online platform that guides college stakeholders through a step-by-step program to improve their institutional efforts to prevent and respond to campus sexual violence. The Collective will:

• Support college stakeholders in adopting a multi stakeholder approach, by having them establish a cross-disciplinary team that leads the campus’ efforts to create change.
• Facilitate the adoption of the CORE Blueprint — an innovative Six-Pillar framework that presents the latest public health research, expert guidance, and promising and emerging practices on how to address campus sexual violence.
• Provide professional development for campus stakeholders, preparing them to make actionable changes across all Six Pillars. Professional development opportunities will include: web-based trainings, peer-led learning and discussion, and technical assistance from Culture of Respect staff.

Participants will also have access to CORE Constructs, a suite of guides organized around the Six Pillars of the CORE Blueprint to supplement its implementation. These guides include downloadable resources, tools, and templates that can be adapted to meet specific institutional needs.

Over the next year, It’s On Us will continue to build infrastructure across the movement to ensure that students feel safe and supported across campuses. The campaign will also expand our work outside of the campus environment and into the national conversation around ending rape culture.

It’s On Us is a national campaign aimed at fundamentally shifting the way we think about sexual assault. The campaign is a rallying cry inviting everyone to step up and realize the solution begins with us. To date, over 380,000 people have taken the It’s On Us pledge and students have hosted 1,700 It’s On Us events on 534 campuses nationwide. Please visit ItsOnUs.org to take the pledge.

Culture of Respect, an initiative of NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, helps colleges and universities strengthen their sexual violence prevention and response efforts. We offer higher education leaders a six-point strategic roadmap, the CORE Blueprint, that engages all campus stakeholders — students, parents, faculty, administrators, health professionals, athletes and more — in implementing the leading practices to shift campus culture to one free from sexual violence. Visit CultureofRespect.org for more information.