In line with sexual assault awareness month, the UA released a video on preventing sexual assault, integrating messages from men around campus.

One in five women will be the victim of attempted or completed sexual assault before they graduate college, said one male student, in the opening of a video produced through Campus Health Service.

The video, “University of Arizona Men Against Sexual Assault” was released last week. In it, male students from the UA were asked a series of questions about sexual assault. Students were asked what they would say to someone who has committed an act of sexual assault, as well as what they planned to do to change things.

“We had a tremendous number of men agree to be interviewed and talk to us on their thoughts of sexual assault,” said Megan McKendry, a violence prevention specialist with Oasis, a program out of Campus Health Service. “I think there’s really publicly and nationally been a call to engage men in the work of preventing sexual violence and so this video really addresses that call.”

Brad Wong, a film and TV productions senior and videographer for Campus Health, was one of the two students who helped put the video together. Wong interviewed men around campus and helped shoot it.

“I think it’s just really showing women that their guy friends do care and that guys think it’s not OK,” Wong said.

Joel Torres, a senior studying Spanish and business, was on his way to class when he was asked to participate in the video. Torres said the video helps raise awareness that sexual assault is not OK and that if students are aware of those situations they should speak up.

“As a male, I think that it’s sick and pathetic that there’s people out there that do these types of things,” Torres said. “It’s really cool to have a diverse group of men stand up and raise their voice and say ‘Hey, it’s not OK and we don’t support this.’”

As far as the response to the video, Wong said there has been a positive reaction and PolicyMic, a news and discussion platform, even put out a post regarding the video.

“I think it’s an honor that people are recognizing what we’re doing at the U of A,” Wong said, “and just getting on board with the men against violence campaign.”