‘Sims 4’ Joins ‘It’s On Us’ Campaign, Releases Free Virtual Tee Shirts


The Sims 4 has joined the White House’s “It’s On Us” campaign against sexual assault, and has made free tee shirts available within the virtual world.

EA Maxis announced yesterday that the “It’s On Us” campaign now exists within The Sims 4. Players’ Sims can now be dressed in a free “It’s On Us” tee shirt to show their support of the campaign. Electronic Arts is encouraging users to share their tee shirted Sims with their friends on social networks using the #ItsOnUs hashtag to help raise awareness.

“It’s On Us” was launched last month as a public awareness and action campaign to prevent sexual assault at colleges and universities. The intent is to shift the culture on campuses that can lead to sexual assault. As one of the “It’s On Us” official partners, Electronic Arts was part of the initial launch. EA is seeking to raise awareness among their player base. They shared sobering statistics, such as one in five women and one in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college, yet only 13 percent of rape survivors report an assault.

Electronic Arts also shared the PSA featuring Mad Men star Jon Hamm, along with a number of other celebrities from film, television, music, and sports. The segment includes appearances by Ryan Seacrest, Olivia Munn, Lance Bass, Rose Byrne, Mayim Bialik, Randy Jackson, Common, Kevin Love, Questlove, Connie Britton, Kerry Washington, President Barack Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden.

Many of those in the PSA can be seen wearing an “It’s On Us” tee shirt, which can be purchased to support the campaign. The Sims 4 makes this tee shirt, which normally costs $10 in the real world, free in the world of Sims. Wearing the tee shirt, whether in The Sims 4 or in real life, is meant to indicate that the wearer has taken the “It’s On Us” pledge.

“This pledge is a personal commitment to help keep women and men safe from sexual assault,” states itsonus.org. “It is a promise not to be a bystander to the problem, but to be a part of the solution.”

EA Maxis has asked their players to take the “It’s On Us” pledge, which states, “I pledge to recognize that non-consensual sex is sexual assault; to identify situations in which sexual assault may occur; to intervene in situations where consent has not or cannot be given; to create an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.”

The Sims 4, the latest release of the popular Sims franchise, has received somewhat mixed reviews since its release on September 2, but nonetheless has become a big hit in the UK, where it has topped the sales chart.

[Image source: The Sims 4 Blogger]

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