Over 2,000 Agree – 1is2Many

In the weeks since Vice President Biden launched the 1is2Many initiative – a call for young women and men to share their ideas on how to prevent dating violence and sexual assault at their schools and college campuses – he has received more than 2,000 responses via the obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/1is2many and Twitter.

Earlier today, the Vice President thanked everyone who submitted their ideas via Twitter:

Many responses highlighted the importance of educating boys and girls early on about healthy and respectful relationships. A number suggested upgrading campus infrastructure by improving lighting or ensuring that campus police are always accessible.

Others discussed the less tangible, but equally important, task of reshaping campus culture so that it supports victims who report abuse and redefines what it means to “be a man.”’ And several people who replied proposed strengthening legal and enforcement responses to violence against women, emphasizing accountability at all levels.

These and other great ideas caught the Vice President’s attention. Here’s a taste of some of the great responses that were received:

• Elizabeth, Amherst, MA: “There should be a way for students to safely, discreetly, and immediately report suspect behavior or violence to on-call campus authorities. For this to work, it would be imperative for the reporting student to remain anonymous, and that campus police/volunteers are trained in sensitivity issues.”
• Brennan, Hilo, HI: “I think it'd be great to come up with profiles of men in our cultural histories who have taken stands to prevent violence and abuse. Respecting women should not be a threat to masculinity, but rather a fulfillment of true manhood.”
• Alyssa, Maryville, IL: “[Y]ou should work with student councils around the world. [I]n order to inform younger kids and teens about the realities of abuse, student councils are the best option. It would be incredibly easy to start on state and local levels to raise awareness. Let the Student Councils of America help you raise awareness.”

In a special appearance on The View last week on the issue of teen dating violence and sexual assault, the Vice President addressed the important role technology and peer to peer communication can play in addressing the problem – another common theme of 1is2Many responses. Before his appearance, the Vice President illustrated the importance of utilizing this new technology by sending the first official text to the newly expanded National Dating Abuse Helpline. Young women can now reach out to the Helpline via text or chat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Administration is also harnessing new technology to address the issue through the “Apps Against Abuse” challenge. In a contest announced in July, the Administration charged technology gurus to work with experts in this field to come up with new ways to use mobile applications to reach young women and keep them safe. Applications are due October 17th. Learn more HERE.

As Vice President Biden reminded us when he announced the 1is2Many initiative, “We can fight violence against women. But it can’t happen without all of you speaking up and acting; it can’t end until we make it completely clear that sexual assault and violence against women cannot, will not, be tolerated anywhere, anytime for any reason, period.”

Stay tuned to obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/1is2many for the latest on the administration’s efforts to address youth dating violence and sexual assault. 

National Dating Abuse Helpline: If you or someone you know needs help, text "Loveis" to 22522 or visit Loveisrespect.org.