Sexual assault is becoming a major problem on many college campuses. Statistics show that one in five women are sexually assaulted while in college, as well as one in 16 men. Another problem is that more than 90 percent of sexual assault victims do not report their assault. Sexual assaults generally include any type of sexual conduct or sexual contact that is not consensual and is forced, coerced or when the victim could not give consent.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The University of Cincinnati is helping to bring awareness for gender-based violence through many events on campus such as, Not On My Campus. The Fraternity, Pi Kappa Phi, has started this student-led social media movement to start discussion and help end the silence of sexual assault to create a safer environment on campus. Pi Kappa Phi has created a Facebook page, Not On My Campus - University of Cincinnati, to raise awareness and inform those who are survivors of campus services and to give other students hope. The fraternity is asking for students to write "Not On My Campus" on the palm of their hand and take a picture to post on social media. They are hoping for the movement to go viral and have other universities join to bring awareness to the issue.
University of Cincinnati third year student, Jennifer Schoewe, has been behind this social media movement on campus along with the fraternity. Schoewe is a hero and survivor of sexual assault. After hearing Schoewe's story, the fraternity was inspired and more than happy to raise awareness for other survivors on campus. Schoewe wants NOMC to help students by showing them they are not alone and they have support.
"What I want to see with Not On My Campus is change," Jennifer Schoewe said. "Change in the way we view sex. Change in the way we should speak to survivors. Change in the discomfort that surrounds conversations about rape. I want to give future students what I didn't have: support, awareness. I want people, particularly men, to start speaking up about sexual violence. We can't stomp out this epidemic without men behind us. That's why I started with a group of guys, and Pi Kappa Phi could not have done a more incredible job. I'm so proud of them and so honored to know them while working beside them."
"My vision of bringing NOMC to UC has been to bring our campus together against the Sexual Assault Epidemic; especially Greek life, a powerful community often associated with gender-based violence on both sides," said Ian Sundberg, Pi Kappa Phi Ability experience chairman. "If we use social media for good, our outlets can catch fire and go viral cross-country, inspiring other colleges to follow suit with their own campaigns to help reach national attention for rape culture change. By taking the pledges and pictures, you can shine as a light of hope for many survivors."