It’s On Us chapter launches on Logan campus

It’s On Us, a national sexual assault prevention initiative, launched a chapter at Utah State University this semester.  

 The chapter is led by student and chapter president Dawson Snyder, who said he felt inspired to start it after taking an abuse and neglect class at USU.  

 “I got to learn a lot about sexual abuse and violence, especially among college students,” Snyder said. “It’s a significant issue, and one that I quickly became passionate about learning more about.” 

 Dane Davis, the chapter’s vice president, said there have been successful results across other chapters in the country and he’s hopeful it will do well at Utah State.  

 According to the It’s On Us website, there are more than 200 registered chapters in the United States, including one at the University of Utah. 

 The organization was founded in 2014 by the Obama-Biden administration and is focused on sexual assault education, bystander intervention and survivor support — specifically on college campuses. 

  “We’re looking to have activities that promote preventing sexual abuse [and] physical abuse and really just keeping ourselves safe,” Davis said. 

 The first meeting, held Feb. 4 in Jon M. Huntsman Hall, focused on drink spiking awareness. Davis presented at the meeting and said he used material and guidance provided through the It’s On Us organization’s training. 

 He explained while drink spiking can be hard to detect, there are several signs to look out for.  

 “If there is powder on the ice, unusual cloudiness, color change or excessive bubbling, there may have been something added to your drink,” Davis said. 

  Davis said it’s important for college students to be aware of where their food and drinks come from, especially in a party setting.  

 “Don’t ever accept a drink from a stranger, ever, and keep your food and drinks covered and nearby at all times,” Davis said. 

  Bergan Ericksen, a USU student and chapter member, also presented at the meeting and listed several common misconceptions about sexual assault and drink spiking. 

  “While you should definitely watch out for drugs in your drinks, the sad part is, most of the time, people can still get taken advantage of without them, especially when they are inebriated,” Ericksen said. 

  According to Snyder, the chapter hopes to partner with resources like USU SAAVI as well as CAPSA. He also hopes to find ways to get the campus’ fraternities and sororities involved.  

 The first meeting consisted of four attendees, all of whom were men. According to Snyder, the leadership team includes two women, who were both unable to attend.  

 Snyder said he hopes attendance will grow and attract a wider audience as the chapter becomes more established on campus.  

 The chapter plans to meet once a month, and will post about future events on its Instagram account @its.on.usu. 

 “Our goal is to get people to show up, learn about it and hopefully take home something new that’s applicable and raises their awareness and advocacy,” Davis said.