Lady Gaga and United States Vice President Joe Biden are teaming up once again to raise awareness about sexual assault. The unlikely duo traveled to a rally at the University of Nevada on April 7th to bring further awareness to the cause.
The two originally joined forces back in February, when the VP was invited to the Academy Awards to introduce Gaga. Gaga delivered a heart-stopping performance of Til It Happens to You, co-written with Diane Warren. The song was featured in the 2015 documentary about campus rape in the United States, The Hunting Ground. It also received critical acclaim, as it highlighted the pain of sexual assault that too many women (and men) are subjected to daily.
The Vice President has proven time again that sexual assault is something he strongly advocates against. In fact, it was Biden who wrote the Violence Against Women Act. The VAWA does three things in essence. 1. It provides a $1.6 billion towards investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women. 2. It imposes mandatory restitution on those convicted. 3. It allows civil redress in un-prosecuted cases.
Biden used his attendance at the Oscars to draw attention to his It’s On Us campaign. Headed by the White House Task Force, the campaign urges people to make a commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault.
The Bad Romance singer publicized in 2014 that she had been raped at the age of nineteen by an unnamed producer. Since then, she has fought to bring great awareness to the cause. During her Oscars performance, Gaga emphasized her message of strength and camaraderie. She went so far as to invite fifty of her fellow sexual abuse survivors to join her onstage.
The survivors had phrases like, “not alone,” “unbreakable,” and “not your fault” on their arms. At the end of the song, they raised their arms in unison, receiving a grand standing ovation.
In an interview with Billboard to promote the rally, Biden applauded Gaga’s efforts, saying:
“She’s a survivor who has the courage to speak out, and I know how difficult that can be. We’ve talked at length and I admire her courage. Everyone can see it because it’s on display. She encourages so many other women to step forward.”
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