The past week has been a progressive one for Syracuse University — it was a week full of events focused on raising awareness for sexual and relationship violence on campus.

However, while organizing and hosting these events can generate a positive presence that must be maintained for a safer social climate, the events must be actively promoted and attended by students, faculty, staff, administration and the entirety of the SU community. In order for these events to improve the lives of students and the policies of the university, people must first show up.

Last week, the Office of Health Promotion premiered the #NotAskingForIt video as a part of its Got Consent? Be S.U.R.E. campaign, an initiative with the goal of ending victim-blaming and sexual assault at SU. The video was a collaborative effort between the Health Promotion office, Randi Lemons, a graduate student in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications who produced the video, and Hill Communications, a public relations firm on campus.

Although attendees of the video launch included student representatives from advocacy groups on campus, such as Sex Esteem, Students Advocating Sexual Safety and Empowerment, the Girl Code Movement and A Men’s Issue, the audience was missing general students.

While some students did attend, a larger number must do so in order to make this cause a more prevalent mission for our university to respond to. If more students took part in these events, the problem of sexual assault would become a community discussion that would encourage students, staff and faulty members alike to become more conscious of sexual assault and the safety of students.

Attending these events not only educates the individual, but is an important action that shows support for victims, survivors and fellow students who we attend class with each day.

Following the launch of the #NotAskingForIt video, SU Rising, a gathering with the goal of  raising awareness for victims and survivors of sexual assault, was held Friday evening at Hendricks Chapel. Only about 50 students, faculty and staff attended the event.

There are more than 20,000 full and part-time students that attend SU. This means that less than .0025 percent of the student population attended the event.

As the semester continues, students, faculty, staff and the administration should not treat the problem of sexual assault with indifference. The events hosted on campus can provide attendees with an enlightening and engaging new perspective on sexual assault and its lasting effects on victims, survivors and the SU community.

To create a safer environment for all, more collaboration between students, awareness organizations and the administration should incorporate larger promotion for these events in order to attract student involvement. Participation is instrumental in combating sexual assault on campus.

Sexual violence is not a problem that will fix itself when we look away. Sexual assault affects everyone and it will take the participation of everyone to end sexual assault at SU.

For rape culture to come tumbling down, both the students and administration must make the effort to communicate through our words and actions that Syracuse University is #NotAskingForIt.

Alexa Diaz is a freshman magazine journalism major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at adiaz02@syr.edu and followed on Twitter @AlexaLucina.

Published on February 18, 2015 at 12:15 am