With the recent arrests of six SIU students for sexual assaults Sept. 12 through 14 in two separate incidents, student leaders are launching a new task force to address attacks on and off campus.

Cameron Shulak, president of the Undergraduate Student Government, said the “It’s On Us” task force, a White House initiative launched by President Barack Obama on Friday, is a nationwide campaign designed to find solutions for issues regarding sexual assaults. The task force acknowledges everyone can contribute to stopping violence.

“I don’t know what the task force will specifically come up with, obviously that’s the reason for the creation of it,” Shulak said. “[The task force] is going to start by coming to the table talking about the issues that are currently affecting students on campus, but then will quickly move from there to develop those solutions that we could possibly implement.”

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Matt Ryg, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, said nearly one in five undergraduate women experience some form of sexual assault, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Of those assaults, only 12 percent are reported and of those reported assaults, only a fraction of the offenders are punished,” Ryg said. “If Adrian Peterson can get suspended from his job during the investigation of child abuse allegations, so too should SIU students for being investigated for criminal sexual assault.”

Shulak said USG, GPSC and Adrian Miller, Carbondale’s student trustee on the SIU Board of Trustees, will work with the Department of Public Safety, Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Carbondale Police Department on this campaign. He said CDP is increasing officer presence in areas of the town considered problematic.

“Lately reports of the actions of a few people have been used to define this student body,” Miller said. “To suggest this campus and community is overwhelmed by violence is nonsense.”

The student leaders will also work with Ben Smith, an employee of the Women’s Center, Nathan Stephens, director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence, DPS Police Chief Benjamin Newman and several others to find systematic solutions for victims of sexual assault.

“On Friday, President Obama speaking to the White House said, ‘Perhaps most important, we need to keep saying to anyone out there who has ever been assaulted, you are not alone,’” Ryg said. “Student leaders offer a similar message today to survivors of assault on the SIU campus, you are not alone, we have your back, I’ve got your back.”

Aaron Graff contributed to this story.

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