Committee Releases Guidelines for Sexual Violence Prevention on Campuses

Students deserve to feel safe on university and college campuses in the province. That is why work is advancing to support a change in the culture and strong survivor-centric sexual violence policies.

The Provincial Sexual Violence Prevention Committee has developed guidelines and recommendations for post-secondary institutions which are critical to ensuring Nova Scotia students can learn in environments free from sexual violence.

“The work to address sexual violence on campus should be continuous and progressive,” said Labour and Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis. “This committee’s expertise, advice and ongoing work will pave the way for a cultural shift on our university and college campuses.”

The document, Guidelines for Nova Scotia Universities and the Nova Scotia Community College: Development of Survivor-Centric Sexual Violence Policies, will ensure each of Nova Scotia’s 10 universities and Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) maintain up-to-date, stand-alone sexual violence policies that are survivor-centric, and that they work to enhance and uphold survivor-centric campus responses to sexual violence.

Quote:

"All post-secondary institutions in the province now have stand-alone sexual violence prevention policies, reflective of our shared commitment to fostering safe and respectful campus environments. Further, Nova Scotia’s universities are working together and with students and community partners, to ensure that our approaches are trauma-informed and survivor-centric. We are eager to continue this work to improve education and training around sexual violence prevention and response."

– Paula Barry, associate vice-president student experience, Mount Saint Vincent University and co-chair, Provincial Sexual Violence Prevention Committee

Quick Facts:

• a survivor-centric approach focuses on supporting the needs of sexual violence survivors
• this document is a result of the recommendations from the Sexual Violence Prevention Committee’s 2017 report titled Changing the Culture of Acceptance
• there are 11 recommendations for Nova Scotia universities and NSCC to enhance survivor-centric responses to sexual violence
• the Provincial Sexual Violence Prevention Committee formed in April 2018 as a result of recommendation nine in the 2017 Changing the Culture of Acceptance report
• a new Nova Scotia Universities and Nova Scotia Community College Sexual Violence Prevention grant was established with new funding in the 2019 budget. Approved projects will be announced shortly

Additional Resources:

Guidelines for Nova Scotia Universities and the Nova Scotia Community College: Development of Survivor-Centric Sexual Violence Policies: https://novascotia.ca/lae/pubs/docs/development-of-survivor-centric-sexual-violence-policies-guidelines-for-universities-nscc.pdf

Once available, the French version of the Guidelines for Nova Scotia Universities and the Nova Scotia Community College: Development of Survivor-Centric Sexual Violence Policies can be found at: https://novascotia.ca/lae/pubs/

To view the 2017 report: https://www.novascotia.ca/lae/pubs/docs/changing-the-culture-of-acceptance.pdf

To read the 2017 news release: Committee Releases Report on University Campus Sexual Violence Prevention https://www.novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20171215002

For more resources for survivors and supporters: https://www.breakthesilencens.ca/