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Lackawanna College sent two staff members to the It’s On Us! and EmpowerU Conference to lead a discussion on including male athletes in sexual violence prevention efforts. The conference brought together educators, students, athletic staff, and prevention professionals to share strategies for reducing sexual violence and strengthening campus-wide cultures of care.

It’s On Us! and EmpowerU are two divisions of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. EmpowerU focuses on reducing financial barriers to pursuing a college education, supporting grants like Parent Pathways, and conducting research and initiatives to improve basic needs access.

The College has also earned the It’s On Us! grant for three of the past four years, having earned it in academic years 2023 to 2024, 2025, and 2026 to 2027.

Discussions that Lead to a More Empowered Campus

Student Wellness Program Director Rachel Drosdick-Sigafoos, Ph.D. and Student Wellness Program Coordinator Marcus Mitchell led a presentation titled “Flipping the Script on Male Athletes: Supporting Silenced Voices” arguing that male athletes are an underserved population in sexual violence prevention, both as survivors and as potential allies, and demonstrating how the It’s On Us/EmpowerU grant can support efforts to include them.

The It’s On Us grant supports institutions in expanding prevention education, improving reporting pathways, and elevating underrepresented survivor voices, and this presentation put that mission into practice.

The presentation addressed a critical gap: male athletes are rarely centered in conversations about sexual violence, either as survivors or as allies, despite being uniquely vulnerable and uniquely influential.

How the Presentation Fit the Grant and Conference Purpose

Expanding the definition of “who counts” as a survivor:

• The presenters highlighted that male survivors are often invisible in prevention spaces, noting that 1 in 6 men experience sexual abuse before age 18, and that 71% of male victims are assaulted before age 25. These figures underscore the It’s On Us mission to broaden awareness and ensure all survivors feel seen and supported.

Addressing high-risk campus groups, especially athletes:

• Athletes face heightened risks due to power dynamics, time spent with coaches, and coercive environments. Fear of losing playing time or future opportunities can prevent athletes from coming forward. This aligns with the grant’s emphasis on targeted prevention for groups with unique vulnerabilities.

Challenging cultural norms that enable abuse:

• The presentation examined how common athletic messages, like “Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional”, can unintentionally reinforce grooming, silence, and coercion. By unpacking these norms, the session advanced the conference’s goal of shifting campus culture toward empathy and safety.

Promoting allyship and community care

• The presentation also explored how male athletes can serve as “Protectors and Allies”, playing an active role in preventing violence and creating supportive environments for peers.

Providing actionable steps for campuses

The final slides offered concrete strategies for athletic departments and prevention teams, such as:

• Use more inclusive language
• Embed personnel and initiatives in the athletic department
• Connection first, education second
• Cultivate male athlete-friendly spaces

These recommendations align with the grant’s requirement that funded institutions implement sustainable, evidence-informed prevention programming.

Lackawanna College is proud to support the kind of work that pushes these conversations forward, centering voices that are too often left out, and building a campus culture where every student can feel safe, supported, and empowered.