On Tuesday, Vice President Joe Biden gave a speech in which he introduced the White House’s new PSA about sexual assault. The ‘1 is 2 Many’ PSA features actors Steve Carell, Benicio Del Toro, Daniel Craig, Dulé Hill and Seth Meyers.
Biden has long been a champion of this cause. He introduced the landmark Violence Against Women Act in 1990 and he appointed the first ever White House Advisor on Violence Against Women upon entering office as Vice President. There have been a series of stories in the news recently regarding sexual assault cases on college campuses across the country, and Biden made sure to address that issue:
“College and Universities can no longer turn a blind eye and pretend rape and sexual assault doesn’t occur on their campuses,” Biden said before playing the PSA. “I understand that the good guys in the report, they may feel like they’re damaging the reputations of their schools, I get it. But it doesn’t matter.”
The minute-long video features the actors soberly addressing the male population about what sexual assault is and how they should react to it. Biden contacted the actors personally to get them to appear in the PSA. He said, ”I’m not used to making calls to big old movie stars,” Biden said. “But I called them. And every one of them said immediately, ‘What can I do?’” This is the second PSA for the campaign. The first video included athletes David Beckham, Eli Manning and Jeremy Lin among others.
I think one of the most important lines they included was, “If I saw it happening, I’d never blame her. I’d help her.” So many times men and women alike are inclined to blame the victim in sexual assault cases. “She shouldn’t have dressed that way.” “She should have known better than to go to that party.” “She was asking for it.” Nothing that a female wears ever warrants her being forced to have sex. Ever. I don’t care if she’s walking around in a thong bikini. We have to get out of the mindset that sexual assault is ok, or less egregious if the female was scantily clad or under the influence. Of course I would encourage all people to be aware of their limits when consuming alcohol, but missing that mark does not make it open season for rape. Hopefully the ’1 is 2 Many ‘ campaign will hit home for some people who need to have their minds changed. Watch the ’1 is 2 Many’ PSA on the next page: