麻豆影院

Joe Biden was smiling as he took the stage at CU-麻豆影院 April 8, but he'd come to deliver a solemn message bluntly聽

鈥淣o mean's no,鈥� the vice president blared聽at a Rec Center crowd estimated at 1,500,聽鈥渨hether it鈥檚 in the classroom, parking lot,聽or whether you鈥檙e already in bed with him聽and you change your mind. No means no!鈥澛�

It was Biden鈥檚 third and final college visit聽of the week, part of the White 聽House鈥檚聽鈥淚t鈥檚 On Us鈥� campaign to prevent sexual聽violence at colleges and universities.听

Nationwide, about one in four women聽between the ages of 14 and 24 are sexually聽assaulted or raped, Biden said, a rate聽that鈥檚 held steady for decades. CU has聽been intensifying its efforts to combat聽sexual misconduct.听

In his remarks 鈥� discursive, at times聽theatrical, at times poignant 鈥� Biden聽reflected on his advocacy for victims of聽domestic abuse and sexual assault, telling聽stories of victims he鈥檇 known, sometimes聽in jarringly graphic terms that left the聽gymnasium in a stunned hush.听

The 鈥淚t鈥檚 On Us鈥� campaign鈥檚 core聽message is that everyone, including men聽and bystanders, must help prevent sexual聽assault, a point emphasized by a series of聽speakers preceding Biden.听

Among them was Ralphie handler聽Max Demby (Acct鈥�16), who disrupted an聽assault in progress on campus last spring.听The perpetrator was caught, charged and聽convicted. The victim, Demby said, 鈥渉as聽continued to lead a normal and happy life.鈥澛�

鈥淚 want to stress that the effort to stop聽sexual assault starts with us,鈥� he said.听Biden later called Demby back to聽the lectern.听

鈥淚鈥檓 glad I got to meet Max,鈥� he said,聽wrapping an arm around the student鈥檚聽shoulders and noting that Biden鈥檚 own聽son, Beau, who died of cancer last year,聽had done the same thing as a University聽of Pennsylvania student.听

鈥淟ook in the mirror and ask, are you being聽the man you think you are?鈥� Biden said.听If you can鈥檛 intervene, call for help, he聽said. If you learn about the assault later,聽believe and support the victim.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the character test you鈥檙e聽going to have to pass,鈥� he said.听

Afterward, Biden posed for a long聽series of selfies with enthusiastic聽cellphone wielding students, often聽holding the 聽camera himself.

Read a longer version of this story.听