Ontario strengthening laws to stop sexual violence, harassment on campus

Ontario recently introduced the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act that, if passed, will help keep students safer from the threat of sexual violence and harassment on campuses like McMaster University, Mohawk College and private career colleges in Hamilton and Burlington.

Today at McMaster, student and community leaders discussed how the legislation, if passed, would help deliver on the province’s commitments in It’s Never Okay, the ground-breaking action plan to stop sexual violence and harassment.

“The postsecondary experience should be a time of personal fulfillment, growth and opportunity but we know that many of our students don’t feel safe on campus,” said Eleanor McMahon, MPP for Burlington. “Our government is working with postsecondary institutions to make campuses in our community and across the province more responsive to incidents of sexual violence, while ensuring students have access to resources and supports, starting in their first week of orientation and continuing throughout the year, for all years of study.”

The legislation would make campuses and communities safer and more responsive to the needs of survivors by requiring every publicly assisted college and university and private career colleges in Hamilton, Burlington and across the province to have a stand-alone sexual violence policy and to review it — with student involvement — at least once every three years.

“It is critical that staff, students, and faculty continue to play an important role in addressing the epidemic of sexual violence and harassment on our campuses,” said Giuliana Guarna, vice-president administration of the McMaster Students Union. “As students, we are proud to work with the Government of Ontario and McMaster University to make strides in fostering a community that is as safe as possible.”

Other measures in the Action Plan will support the safety of students by:

• Ensuring every campus has a clearly stated procedure and protocol to address complaints of sexual violence; providing effective training and prevention programs for faculty, staff and students; and ensuring services and supports for survivors are available 24/7.
• Supporting initiatives to reduce sexual violence and ensure safe campuses, through initiatives such as the Women’s Campus Safety Grant.
• Making sure all students have information about preventing sexual violence and are informed of resources and supports, starting with their first week of orientation and continuing throughout the year, for students in all years of study.

Supporting survivors of sexual violence and creating a safer, more inclusive and more equitable province is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario up. The plan includes investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.