UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — It takes all of us, every Penn Stater, to prevent sexual violence and support survivors. As part of this effort, Penn State’s Gender Equity Center is hosting It’s On Us Week of Action beginning Feb. 21 to highlight the issue of sexual violence and give students resources and strategies to help keep our community safe.
Throughout the week students can attend interactive workshops or stop by the Gender Equity Center’s table in the HUB-Robeson Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day for more information.
These peer-led workshops focus on three topics, "Sexual Citizenship"; "Beyond the Binary"; and "Gender, Race and Power." Not only will participants demonstrate their commitment to making Penn state a safer, more inclusive campus, workshop attendees will receive a free "It’s On Us Penn State" t-shirt as well. Registration is required to attend the workshops. For the full list of workshops and the registration link, visit ItsOnUSPennState.psu.edu.
- "Sexual Citizenship": Get ready to discuss everything you ever wanted to know but never thought to ask about relationships, hookups, boundaries, sex, and consent. We will ask you to consider what you expect from yourselves and your partners, as well as your boundaries, including sexual boundaries. Participants will learn how to have these conversations with their intended partner.
- "Beyond the Binary": Engage in conversations around gender stereotypes, gender identity, and the gender spectrum while exploring the social justice view of gender with a discussion of how gender roles confer power and privilege and enable oppression. In addition to considering your own privileges and identities, you will learn about bystander intervention tools to address and prevent gender-based harassment and violence.
- "Gender, Race, and Power": Let's connect the dots around oppression based upon race, gender, and other identities, as we explore the five faces of oppression. We will discuss sexual violence, as a form of oppression, highlighting conversations around consent and victim-blaming, particularly as it relates to marginalized communities, as well as discuss the University's reporting processes with a focus on restorative justice initiatives.
For those who are not able to attend a workshop during the week, the Gender Equity Center offers them upon request for classes, organizations, or other groups.
“‘It's On Us’ is more than a rallying cry, it is a promise and a commitment from Penn State community members to the victim survivors in our community that we accept the charge that It is On Us to eliminate sexual violence at Penn State, said Becca Geiger, assistant director of the Gender Equity Center.
The It’s On Us Week of Action is a collaboration of multiple student affairs units, including the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity, Health Promotion and Wellness, and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. The week is funded by a grant through the “It’s On Us” PA grant program.
The Gender Equity Center is a unit of Penn State Student Affairs. The office supports students who have been impacted by sexual violence, relationship violence, staking, harassment, and other campus climate issues. In addition, the office works to educate the campus community about Gender Equity Issues and to provide workshops and resources for the prevention of sexual violence.