[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNVFPkmZTQ4&w=500&h=315]
Updated: Nov. 9, 2015 at 12:44 p.m.
This post was written by Hatchet reporter Mabel Kabani.
The White House kicked off the national week of action this week for the “It’s On Us” campaign, a national movement to end sexual assault on college campuses.
To jumpstart the week, CollegeHumor partnered with “It’s On Us” to create a PSA centered on the specific statistic that one in five women will be sexually assaulted by the time they leave college. They announced the video during a press phone call on Thursday.
Though a serious issue, Spencer Griffin, executive producer of CollegeHumor, said he wanted to create a funny digital short to spread the message.
“We wanted to leverage comedy to reach and break through this generation. I am proud of this video and the impact it can have,” Griffin said.
New Girl actor Jake Johnson, star of the digital short, also spoke during the press call about his interest in the campaign because “hearing the one in five statistic sickened him.”
“I think that this is something worth doing and something worth getting out,” Johnson said. “Comedy is a great way to reach people with important messages and we need to make the world a better place for other people.”
Johnson added that the campaign can meet college students where they are to really make a difference.
“I just like that this campaign makes it the community’s responsibility because it’s on you to make sure you help out,” he said. “It’s a way to reach people not involved in policy.”
“It’s On Us” was launched by President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden last year to end the issue of sexual assault on college campuses nationwide. What separates this initiative from the others is that it asks everyone, men, women and children across America, to make a commitment and be a part of the solution to end campus assault.
University President Steven Knapp and Student Association president Nick Gumas attended a kickoff event at the White House last year.
White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett said during the call that it has become “a rallying cry inviting everyone to engage, because solutions begin with us.”
Over 250,000 students have signed the “It’s On Us” pledge and the initiative has launched 800 events so far.
As a part of the Week of Action next week, 249 events, such as pledge drives, lectures, social media chat rooms and other student led events, will take place at 92 schools.
Biden will also be attending a few schools to participate in roundtable discussions on sexual assault.
