GOSHEN—Catchy phrases like “No means no” and “If you don’t get it then you don’t get it” flashed across a large screen at the Emergency Services auditorium in Goshen, along with pictures of members of government and law enforcement holding signs with written statements about sexual assault.
“It’s on us to take responsibility for our actions and our inactions” wrote Port Jervis Mayor Kelly Decker on his sign. “It’s up to us to stand up to those who tell us it’s not our business,” wrote former county Department of Mental Health Commissioner, Chris Ashman.
A video depicting situations of sexual assault played to Lady Gaga singing, “You don’t know how it feels till it happens to you.”
The signs, phrases, and video were all part of the launch of a county-wide initiative by the District Attorney’s office to bring awareness to issues of sexual assault.
“I know it’s a tough subject to talk about, but we have to talk about it,” said District Attorney David Hoovler at the Dec. 3 launch. “It’s on us to stop sexual assault.”
Orange County is joining a national campaign called “It’s On Us” that came out of a partnership between the White House and the Generation Progress in 2014 to raise awareness about sexual violence.
From that campaign came over 1,000 events on 480 college campuses in 48 U.S. states, said national Campaign Manager, Kristin Avery, who was in Goshen for the launch.
And while the campaign has reached over 90 other groups and companies, and thousands of individuals, Orange County is the first county to be a part of it, Avery said.
