In CU visit, Vice President Biden Issues "Test of Character"
Joe Biden was smiling as he took the stage at CU-色戒成人直播 April 8, but he'd come to deliver a solemn message bluntly
鈥淣o mean's no,鈥 the vice president blared at a Rec Center crowd estimated at 1,500, 鈥渨hether it鈥檚 in the classroom, parking lot, or whether you鈥檙e already in bed with him and you change your mind. No means no!鈥
It was Biden鈥檚 third and final college visit of the week, part of the White House鈥檚 鈥淚t鈥檚 On Us鈥 campaign to prevent sexual violence at colleges and universities.
Nationwide, about one in four women between the ages of 14 and 24 are sexually assaulted or raped, Biden said, a rate that鈥檚 held steady for decades. CU has been intensifying its efforts to combat sexual misconduct.
In his remarks 鈥 discursive, at times theatrical, at times poignant 鈥 Biden reflected on his advocacy for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault, telling stories of victims he鈥檇 known, sometimes in jarringly graphic terms that left the gymnasium in a stunned hush.
The 鈥淚t鈥檚 On Us鈥 campaign鈥檚 core message is that everyone, including men and bystanders, must help prevent sexual assault, a point emphasized by a series of speakers preceding Biden.
Among them was Ralphie handler Max Demby (Acct鈥16), who disrupted an assault in progress on campus last spring. The perpetrator was caught, charged and convicted. The victim, Demby said, 鈥渉as continued to lead a normal and happy life.鈥
鈥淚 want to stress that the effort to stop sexual assault starts with us,鈥 he said. Biden later called Demby back to the lectern.
鈥淚鈥檓 glad I got to meet Max,鈥 he said, wrapping an arm around the student鈥檚 shoulders and noting that Biden鈥檚 own son, Beau, who died of cancer last year, had done the same thing as a University of Pennsylvania student.
鈥淟ook in the mirror and ask, are you being the man you think you are?鈥 Biden said. If you can鈥檛 intervene, call for help, he said. If you learn about the assault later, believe and support the victim.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the character test you鈥檙e going to have to pass,鈥 he said.
Afterward, Biden posed for a long series of selfies with enthusiastic cellphone wielding students, often holding the camera himself.