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'It's On Us' movement grows on UT campus

Since 2014, "It's On Us" have promoted sexual assault awareness on college campuses across the country, but the University of Tennessee did not have a chapter until this school year.

Knoxville — Since 2014, "It's On Us" have promoted sexual assault awareness on college campuses across the country, but the University of Tennessee did not have a chapter until this school year.

On Monday, the UT chapter shared a video with everyone from student leaders up to Athletic Director Phillip Fulmer and Chancellor Beverly Davenport pledging to be a part of the solution to ending sexual assault and victim blaming.

"The main goal is just to let people know where their resources are for sexual assault," It's On Us UTK digital captain Beverly Banks said. "The other part of the campaign is to let people know how to prevent sexual assault."

Banks says a large part of the campaign is training people to be active bystanders who intervene when friends are in dangerous situations.

"You can help people in a situation and pick up on those social cues of, 'oh that person may have drank a little too much, so maybe I need to help them get home before something happens to them,'" Banks said.

The organization's video is spreading the message during April, which is sexual assault awareness month.

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Banks says together with outreach by the university's Title IX office and the Center for Heath Education and Wellness, and attention garnered by a Title IX lawsuit have brought sexual assault into the spotlight at the university.

"I think that it's improving," Banks said. "I think people have looked at that (the lawsuit) and it was an awakening about the situation of sexual assault awareness on our campus."

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