The Student Government Association approved a resolution to bring awareness to sexual assault by hosting an awareness campaign Friday.
The goal of the Step In Speak Up campaign is to educate students about what they can do to prevent and avoid sexual assault.
The final vote for the bill was 44 for approval and one abstention.
The Step In Speak Up Campaign is set to take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Scramble Light, Student Center Tally and the Letterman Building lobby.
Senator Bailey Loughlin was first approached by SGA advisor Jennifer Jones-Hall to chair the campaign and said she could not resist the opportunity.
“I was more than excited to get involved,” Loughlin said. “Sexual assault awareness and prevention is something I am very passionate about, I think this campaign is an amazing opportunity to bring awareness to the whole campus.”
Step In and Speak Up Pledge:
I want to be part of a community where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. I will be respectful. Nonconsensual sex is unacceptable. Sex for me will always be unquestionably consensual, and my friends will know I expect them to have the same standard of respect. I will step in. I understand that not everyone will commit to this simple standard. If I see someone in trouble, I’ll step in and help if I can do so safely. I’ll call on others or the police to do so if I can’t. I will speak up. Should I learn of a sexual assault, I will encourage the victim to report it to University Police or the Office of Victim Services. Preserving evidence requires timely reporting. Source
Jones-Hall, who is also assistant vice president for student affairs, said the White House has held phone conversations with various universities trying to get them to follow and pay attention to Title IX.
“Our vice presidents had been in a phone conversation with the White House and that then sparked them saying, ‘We need to do something Ball State-related when it comes to sexual assault,'” she said.
Jones-Hall was then approached to get students involved in the process. She said it is critical to educate all students, faculty and staff on sexual assault.
Loughlin said it is important to talk about sexual assault, especially on a college campus.
“The one thing I hope my peers take away for the Step In Speak Up Campaign is that it takes one person to step in and speak up to prevent sexual assault, and it could be them,” she said.
President Paul Ferguson sent out an email to all students Wednesday afternoon, encouraging them to participate in the campaign and take the pledge.
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