Obama Says 'It’s on Us' to Prevent Sexual Assault - East Idaho News
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Obama Says ‘It’s on Us’ to Prevent Sexual Assault

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WH 91914 ObamaBiden?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1411148827928The White House(WASHINGTON) — President Obama Friday said a “fundamental shift in our culture” is needed to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence.

“As far as we’ve come, the fact is that from sports leagues to pop culture to politics, our society still does not sufficiently value women,” Obama said as he unveiled a new campaign to raise awareness and prevent sexual assault on college and university campuses.

“We still don’t condemn sexual assault as loudly as we should,” he said. “We make excuses. We look the other way. The message that sends can have a chilling effect on our young women.”

The White House is enlisting the help of celebrities and athletes to roll out the “It’s On Us” public awareness campaign, which seeks to educate and engage students, particularly young men, to prevent sexual assaults.

“It is on all of us to reject the quiet tolerance of sexual assault and to refuse to accept what’s unacceptable,” Obama said.

While the president did not reference the National Football League specifically, he noted that violence against women can no longer be ignored.

“The issue of violence against women is now in the news every day. We started to, I think, get a better picture of what domestic violence is all about,” he said. “People are talking about it. Victims are realizing they’re not alone. Brave people have come forward. They’re opening up about their own experiences. And so we think today’s event is all that more relevant, all that more important.”


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