This evening, the Penn community will come together for Take Back the Night. Held each spring during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this event reaffirms an enduring principle: everyone has the right to be safe, respected, and heard.
Penn’s condemnation of sexual misconduct is unwavering: even one incident is one too many. Beyond the profound harm to individuals, sexual misconduct is well-documented to interfere with academic and professional performance, limit opportunities and participation in programs, and create environments where people cannot thrive.
I aspire for Penn to become a national model for eliminating sexual harassment and violence—not merely in policy, but in culture. That aspiration begins with each of us. I commit to continuing this work with urgency, transparency, and accountability, and I ask you to join me.
Addressing the problems
Sexual harassment is sadly not a new problem—but it is a solvable one. Several years ago, I participated in a project designed to encourage proactive steps to mitigate sexual harassment in academic medicine. The focus was based in part on a report from the National Academy of Sciences. Its findings continue to shape my thinking and directly inform Penn Medicine’s and Penn’s approach.
From that report, I want to highlight three lessons that are especially relevant to us today.
The iceberg model
The most visible forms of misconduct—sexual violence and overt unwanted behaviors—represent only the tip of the iceberg. Below the surface lies a far larger mass of less visible behaviors: off-color comments, microaggressions, and a culture that subtly normalizes harassment. Their cumulative effect erodes trust, silences voices, and creates the conditions in which more serious harm takes root. Recognizing and addressing them is essential to prevention, not just response.
The power of allyship
Those most vulnerable may raise their voices, but the responsibility to act does not rest with them alone. Every member of our community shares responsibility for action. Allyship means speaking up when you witness offensive conduct. It means intervening safely when someone is at risk, checking in with those who may have been affected, and actively refusing to laugh off or normalize behavior that demeans others. Allyship is active, not symbolic, and it is one of our most powerful tools.
Comprehensive policies and a culture of accountability
Allyship must be reinforced by clear, trustworthy institutional structures. Under Title IX, Penn has long-standing policies that are regularly updated to comply with the law and align with best practices. We aim to ensure that when someone comes forward, they are met with respect, fairness, transparency, timeliness, appropriate consequences, and protection against retaliation. In addition, Penn offers resources that provide confidential advice and support, as well as informal and formal resolution pathways. A full list of support and reporting resources is available on the AVP for Equity and Title IX Officer website.
What we must do
Peer culture can be both a problem and a powerful lever for change. I urge student leaders—whether you hold a formal title or simply have influence among your peers—to take an active role. Promote training. Start conversations. Look out for one another in social settings. Be aware of risk factors. Lead by example. We are here to support you, but we cannot be present in every space you occupy. The culture we create together matters as much as the policies we write and the resources we provide.
At the School, Department, and Center level, I also urge leadership to create space for discussions that raise awareness, build skills, and address the underlying dynamics of the iceberg model. Penn offers training resources, including modules on bystander intervention, recognizing microaggressions, and supporting survivors. Please make use of them and encourage others to do the same.
I applaud the student, staff, and faculty leaders of Take Back the Night and thank our resource partners for supporting our community with courage and care. If we all commit to this work consistently and compassionately, Take Back the Night will one day serve as a reminder of what our community chose to change and what it must continue to protect. Safety, dignity, and belonging are not ideals we reach once, but commitments we must fully realize every day.