Campus Leaders Take Pledge to End Interpersonal Violence

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 1, 2019) — At the University of Kentucky, It's On Us. 

To recognize that non-consensual sex is assault. To identify situations in which sexual assault may occur. To intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given. To create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable. 

Chelsey Reid, interim director of the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Center, wholeheartedly believes in this message. With her unwavering determination to improve community health and wellness through programming and education, Reid has fully embraced the center's mission of shaping a violence-free campus and works tirelessly to stop the perpetuation of interpersonal violence at the university. 

To help further the center’s mission, Reid sent out a campuswide call to action — "join me in taking the It's On Us pledge." 

Initiated in 2014, It’s On Us challenges campus communities to take a stand against interpersonal violence. Through the spring and fall Weeks of Action, the national campaign is aimed at profoundly changing the way we think about sexual assault.

"Representation matters," Reid said. "Visibility strengthens our prevention framework through creating awareness and breaks down barriers to resources through actively destigmatizing an issue that remains highly stigmatized in society at large."

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), one in five women and one in 16 men in the U.S. are sexually assaulted in college, with only 13 percent of rape survivors reporting assault. It’s On Us asks everyone — students, campus members, parents, community leaders — to recognize that the conversation begins to shift with us. It’s a rallying cry to lower the statistics and become a part of the solution. 

With her list of campus advocates in mind, Reid's call to action was well received and answered almost immediately. She was elated when she discovered that leaders and students across campus were eager to take the pledge. 

"I was personally moved (but unsurprised) by the willingness with which our many partners supported this project," Reid said. "Having support from campus leaders in sharing a message that says survivors will be believed and supported and that we are all accountable for shaping an inclusive culture of belonging here at UK is impactful. The broad range of professionals and students represented in this video is emblematic of our commitment to making a campus home where every person, no matter their story, is heard and valued." 

Through campus outreach, like the video of campus leaders taking the pledge and events planned throughout the Spring Week of Action, UK is exemplifying its commitment to creating a community truly resilient against sexual violence.

"We hear from so many students, either prior to or during college, that they have been assaulted, abused or mistreated in some way," said Mary Chandler Bolin, director of the UK Counseling Center. "It really is on all of us. It takes a community to stop that violence and to help survivors to heal."

The Spring Week of Action, a week made possible by the collective VIP Center staff, is a chance for the campus community to understand that everyone on campus has a role in preventing sexual assault and to learn more about support services available for those who have been impacted by interpersonal violence.  

Kicking off the Week of Action with a pledge drive, the event will allow students, staff and faculty to write their name on a chalkboard to take the pledge. The VIP Center will also be implementing the Green Dot Campus Challenge, active for all of April in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM), the challenge encourages students to talk about why being an active bystander is important and to share how they find their Green Dot here at UK.

The VIP Center will be collaborating with the Office of LGBTQ* Resources and the College of Public Health during the Week of Action to co-sponsor events that explore how to be an effective ally and will host trauma-informed yoga. The week will culminate by welcoming artist Mirabelle Jones to campus, an activist and rape crisis counselor who uses visual arts to build community engagement around interpersonal violence response and prevention.

Scheduled It’s On Us events include:

• Take the Pledge, 9-11 a.m. Monday, April 1, at the Gatton Student Center.
• Take the Pledge, 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, April 2, at the Gatton Student Center.
• So you Want to be an Ally?, noon-1 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at the VIP Center.
• Art & Advocacy: Using Your Passion for Activism, 10-11 a.m. Friday, April 5, at the VIP Center.
• Yoga for Health and Healing, noon-1 p.m. Friday, April 5, Room 613 in the Nursing Building.
• Active Bystander Art Workshop, 2-4 p.m. Friday, April 5, at the VIP Center.

VIP Center

The VIP Center leads, supports and sustains a culture of accountability to eliminate violence and oppression at UK. The VIP Center creates safe spaces for people to be heard, while also speaking for those who have been silenced.

VIP Center Staff 

• Lenzi Dodgen, survivor advocate;
• Amanda Hamilton, faculty and staff engagement specialist;
• Emily McKenzie, survivor advocate;
• Chelsey Reid, interim director, prevention education specialist; and 
• Stephanie Smith, program specialist.

The VIP Center is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Appointments can be scheduled by phone at 859-257-3574 or email at vipcenter@uky.edu. Walk-in appointments are also available.