The Worcester State University Athletics Department has joined the growing list of NCAA institutions who have taken the "It's On Us" pledge to raise awareness for sexual assault and ending it on college campuses.

The "It's On Us" campaign started in September of 2014 as a White House driven initiative by President Barack Obama, who asked men and women across America to make a personal commitment to be apart of the solution to end campus sexual assault.

In December of last year, the NCAA took up the fight to end sexual assault by releasing its own Public Service Announcement and over the course of the last several months, other athletics departments have also started to take the pledge.

According to the White House, it is estimated that one in five women during her college years are assaulted and of those assaults, just 12 percent are actually reported.

The Worcester State University Athletics Department is committed to help keeping both women and men safe from sexual assault. The student-athletes, coaches and administrators of the department have also made the promise to not be bystanders to the problem, but part of the solution.

Everyone is a bystander to sexual assualt crimes and the Athletics Department is committed to recognize, identify, intervene and create a safe environment where sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are encouraged.

In conjunction with the WSU Office of Health and Wellness, a YouTube video has been created with members of the Athlete Mentor Program stating this promise.

Through the Office of Health and Wellness, educational sessions have also been held with upperclassmen and the video was shown in a seperate seminar with first-year student-athletes this past Monday.

For More Information

White House Press Release About It's On Us

1 Is 2 Many PSA White House Video

Worcester State University: Title IX Policies & Reporting Sexual Assualt