Building on McMaster’s commitment to strengthen sexual violence prevention and response on campus, the university has commenced a search for a director to lead and further guide this work.

The director will lead the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) and Anti-Oppression Programs (AOP), two distinct but interconnected portfolios within the Equity and Inclusion Office. The SVPRO promotes effective sexual violence prevention education and policy response and the AOP promotes effective inclusion and anti-oppression education and support programs for the campus community.

The search is being led by executive search company Odgers Berndtson and co-chaired by Sheila Sammon, director of McMaster’s Office of Community Engagement and professor emerita in the School of Social Work, and Arig al Shaibah, associate vice-president, Equity and Inclusion.

“This position will be responsible for both sexual violence and anti-oppression portfolios due to the intersections between gender-based violence and other issues of systemic inequity,” says al Shaibah.

“As part of the recruitment process, the search committee is consulting with groups across campus and in the local community to help ensure the successful candidate meets the unique needs of our communities,” says Sammon.

One of the groups providing feedback in this process is the SVPR Task Force, which comprises faculty, student and staff representatives. The Task Force began convening in spring 2021 to provide diverse perspectives and ongoing feedback to strengthen and expand training and resources. Locally, members of the Women Abuse Working Group were also invited to comment.

The director of the SVPRO and AOP is one of many supports outlined in McMaster’s Sexual Violence Policy, which was approved by the university’ Board of Governors in January 2020. Since the policy was introduced, the university has hired a sexual violence prevention education coordinator; refreshed the SVPRO website; revamped training materials and guides for reporting or disclosing an experience of sexual violence; and launched two major initiatives – a support group for student survivors of sexual assault and a webinar series for men to practise healthy masculinity.

“The university’s investment in and commitment to this work has established the SVPRO as a centralized office, equipped with the people and expertise to provide stronger support,” says al Shaibah.