Eastern leaders spoke openly on sexual assault issues that pervade campuses nationwide through a panel discussion called “It’s On Us” on Tuesday evening.

“It’s On Us” is a nation campaign to promote awareness of sexual assault and was recently adopted on Eastern’s campus through student government. Reginald Thedford, the student body president, said he wanted to start the campaign at Eastern.

The Daily Eastern News believes that this implementation could serve as a constant reminder that students do have a safe place to turn to if they have happened to endure some traumatic event.

This campaign is also for students who have been affected by someone else’s abuse, for instance, they may know someone close to them who has suffered or is currently suffering some form of abuse.

Here at Eastern, we hope for each and every student to feel at home. Home should be a place of refuge and security. How are we to provide that for others if they feel threatened by not only predators, but by the ignorance of others as well? 

On Tuesday’s discussion, there was audience members who depicted the way in which sexual assault victims are often times portrayed in the media.

They said the media tends to victim blame and we do see this. Based on what the victim was wearing, how the victim provoked the predator or even how intoxicated the victim may have been may lead some to believe that the victim should take some responsibility on what happened.

This campaign would be helpful in educating others; it would attempt to shatter the skewed image that has been imbedded in the minds of some of how to view sexual assault victims. To help victims, we should begin by educating those who do not understand.

Without proper understanding of what a sexual assault victim is forced to endure and analyzing the behavior of the predator as well, then their ignorance hinders their ability to form an educated opinion of their own. Students should be well informed.

Eastern and every other school across the country needs “It’s On Us” to raise awareness. When adverse circumstances are continuously ignored, that issue will resurface in an unpleasant manner. Teachers and students will not know where to begin to address the matter at hand.

It is time to end the era of being bystanders, because in a case where someone has been or is being sexually assaulted, we would no longer be considered as an “innocent” bystander. We would become responsible. It truly would be on us.

The daily editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Daily Eastern News.