President Obama speaks, with Vice President Joe Biden behind him,  at the launch of the "It's On Us" campaign, a public awareness  campaign to help prevent campus sexual assault, during an event  at the White House September 19, 2014 in Washington, D.C.  Win McNamee, Getty Images
    Taking the next step in its effort to root out sexual violence,    particularly at college campuses, the Obama administration on    Friday launched a public awareness campaign called "It's On Us" to help all Americans    feel responsible for preventing sexual assault.  
    "Campus sexual assault is no longer something we as a nation    can turn away from and say, 'that's not our problem,'"    President Obama said, joined by Vice President Joe Biden in the    East Room of the White House. "We've got to have a fundamental    shift in our culture."  
    An estimated one in five women has been sexually assaulted    during her college years, Mr. Obama noted. Only 12 percent of    those assaults are reported, and in those cases, only a    fraction of the perpetrators are brought to justice.  
    "The fact is from sports leagues to pop culture to politics,    our society still does not sufficiently value women," Mr. Obama    said. When people "look the other way," he continued, "the    message that sends can have a chilling effect on women."  
    Mr. Obama did not explicitly mention the controversy over the    multiple National Football League players who have recently    faced domestic violence charges. However, the White House on    Thursday did     tell the NFL that "it's important that the league get a    handle" on players who commit child abuse and domestic    violence.  
    The president on Friday noted that the issue of violence    against women is "now in the news every day," and "victims are    realizing they're not alone."  
    With the number of headlines addressing the issue and the new    school year starting, Mr. Obama said Friday's "It's On Us"    launch was "all that more relevant."  
    A number of groups are joining the White House to carry the    "It's On Us" message, including media and entertainment    companies like Viacom, College Humor, and Electronic Arts;    college organizations like the NCAA, the PAC 12, the Atlantic    Coast Conference and the American Association of University    Women; as well as advocacy groups like Generation Progress and    Men Can Stop Rape.  
    The initiative puts a special focus on encouraging men to speak    up against domestic violence.  
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Obama rolls out "It's On Us" initiative to combat sexual assault