By Candice Zhang
Content warning: sexual violence and harassment.
Sexual violence is one of the major issues’ college and university students face. A 2018 sexual violence survey for Ontario post-secondary institutions concluded that over 600 George Brown College (GBC) students reported non-consensual sexual experiences. Out of all the GBC respondents, only 27 per cent reported having an adequate knowledge of sexual violence supports and resources. Even though classes this semester are predominantly online, it is important for students in the GBC community to be aware of the reporting processes and the resources available to them. The Dialog wants you to be aware of how to report and prevent sexual assault, so we’ve summarized the reporting process and gathered all the important resources in one place.
Definition of Sexual Violence
Before diving into the resources and reporting procedure, we have to define the term ‘sexual violence’. A lack of consent is part of the definition, but the phrase itself is a lot more broad. Many institutions describe sexual violence as an umbrella term encompassing physical, psychological, and emotional violence. Some examples of these include sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, degrading sexual imagery or cyber harassment.
Regardless of the situation, one concept remains the same throughout every scenario: the lack of consent. The Ontario Women’s Directorate outlines that consent should never be assumed or implied and can be revoked at any time. Moreover, sexual violence is never the survivor’s fault.
Processes of Sexual Violence Reporting (2020)
Survivors of sexual violence at GBC can choose between three pathways to report their situation. They can either file a report to the police, disclose their experience to a member of the GBC community, or share information with the college to initiate a formal, reporting process. If a student chooses to report their situation to the police, the college may allow the police to take charge. However, when a student chooses to file a complaint, the college will commence its independent resolution process.
The resolution process can take up to two months to complete. Although students are allowed to stop the process at any time, the college has the right to continuously investigate the situation. Authorities want to ensure that students are participating in a safe learning and working environment without any forms of harassment.
When a student files a report, the college’s director of diversity, equity, and human rights (DDEHRS) will analyze the situation and decide on an investigation. However, keep in mind that the DDEHRS may not proceed with investigations if the perpetrator is not a member of the college or if the situation did not involve sexual harm.
Once the DDEHRS decides that an investigation is necessary, consultations with the academic or division head will be held. The victim, perpetrator and any bystanders will be interviewed throughout the investigation process by an external or internal investigator. When the investigator finishes their reports, the DDEHRS will decide on the next steps. The complaint will either be dismissed or heard.
If the DDEHRS chooses the latter, the VP of student success will be appointed as the decision-maker. The VP may choose an adjudicator, who is an unbiased member of the college community. After training sessions, the adjudicator will schedule a meeting for the respondent and outline their next actions.
After the final session, a written decision will be made between the DDEHRS and the perpetrator. If the perpetrator disagrees with the statement, they may choose to appeal their decision to the president. However, once the appeal is considered, the decision will be final and cannot be changed again.
Throughout the process, bias will be eliminated among all members of the community. The perpetrator may face ‘interim’ measures, such as being rescheduled to a different class from the survivor. The survivor will be notified of the result and the actions that were taken among their perpetrators.
While understanding the sexual violence protocol is important, the College makes slight alterations to the policy once every three years.
What happens if someone discloses the event to you?
If a close friend or classmate opened up about their non-consensual experience, the first step is to believe in the survivor and empathize with them. When the survivor chooses to report the situation or the perpetrator, you can help them by giving a recommendation or referral to the school’s Sexual Violence Response Advisor. Make sure to emphasize the resources that they can use but allow them to make their own decisions. Always be by their side and be sure to respect their choices, whether they file a report or not.
Resources
There are multiple resources offered by the college for students experiencing sexual assault and violence. Survivors who want to disclose their experiences have a plethora of choices from community action centres to education programs. Some programs are part of SAGBC, which funds the Dialog.
George Brown College’s Sexual Violence Response Advisor
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 3450
Email: svra@georgebrown.ca
Security Emergency Line:
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 8000 or ‘0’ on internal College Cisco Phone
Text: 416-723-4761
Counselling Services:
St. James: 416-415-5000 ext. 2107
Waterfront: 416-415-5000 ext. 5370
Casa Loma: 416-415-5000 ext. 4585
Diversity, Equity, and Human Rights Services:
St. James: 416-415-5000 ext. 4609/4715
Waterfront: 416-415-5000 ext. 5385
Casa Loma: 416-415-5000 ext. 4715
Office of Anti-Racism, Equity and Human Rights Services (OAREHRS):
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 3668
Email: diversity@georgebrown.ca
Residence Life Coordinator (only for students on Residence)
Phone: 416-761-8000 or dial ‘0’ from a residence phone
Resources from the SAGBC
SafeWalk
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 2020
Community Care Centre
St. James Campus: St James A Building, room 165B, 200 King Street East
Casa Loma Campus: E building, first floor, room E124, 142 Kendal Avenue
Waterfront Campus: CAC Resource Room 031C, 51 Dockside Drive.
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 2439
Email: community@sagbc.ca
External Resources
Victim Services Tomorrow
Phone: 416-808-7066
Language: English, interpreters available
Location: 40 College Street
Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape (TRCC/MWAR)
Phone: 416-597-8808 or 416-597-1214
Language: English, with interpreters available
Email: info@trccmwar.ca
Assaulted Women’s Helpline
Phone: 416-863-0511
Toll free: 1-866-863-0511
Or text #723 on Bell, Rogers, Fido or Telus mobile
Languages: English, French, and services available in over 200 languages
Brotalk
Phone: 1-866-393-5933
24/7 confidential for male-identified youth aged 14-18
Chat is available on the website
Languages: English, French.
Youth Line
Phone Number: 1-800-268-9688 or 416-962-9688
Text: 647-694-4275
Language: English
