Bucks County Community College is the recipient of a $29,991 grant as part of the It’s On Us PA statewide campaign, which invites education leaders and Pennsylvanians to be part of the solution to protect students from sexual violence.
“Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities must be a safe space for students to learn and grow without fear of violence, harassment or abuse,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “Each one of us has a responsibility to promote healthy relationships, and the It’s On Us PA grant program was created to provide pathways to trainings and resources that improve campus culture and engagement.”
Since 2016, the Wolf Administration has awarded 184 It’s On Us PA grants totaling nearly $6 million to post-secondary institutions, including public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
The grants provide funding from January 2022 through May 2023 to implement strategies on campuses, such as improving awareness, prevention, reporting and response systems regarding sexual violence in schools; removing/reducing barriers that prevent survivors of sexual violence from reporting and/or accessing vital resources; and demonstrating significant, proactive, and sustainable leadership to change campus culture and improve the climate around sexual assault.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Education strongly supports any effort to create inclusive, welcoming and safe learning environments,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Noe Ortega. “It’s On Us PA has cultivated change across the commonwealth by investing in targeted resources, supporting students and faculty, and reminding Pennsylvanians that sexual violence will not be tolerated on our campuses.”
The It’s On Us campaign is a national initiative to raise awareness about sexual assault; teach participants that assault includes non-consensual sex; advise them on how to identify dangerous situations; empower them to intervene; and urge them to create an environment of support for victims and survivors.
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