We have this culture to blame the victim
I think in North Africa, we have this culture to blame the victim. It’s very important to make the victim understand that he or she isn’t the problem. They didn’t commit any mistake; so I think the biggest support will be to get them in this mindset that they didn’t do it.
Recommendations
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Engage in activities to develop cultural responsiveness as it pertains to sexual violence prevention and response. Apply culturally responsive practices in these areas.
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Use approaches that are trauma informed and survivor-centred.
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Consider how a student's identities might affect their expectations and concerns when accessing supports following a sexual assault, or when involved in a sexual assault investigation.
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Ensure all sexual violence prevention and response education and training opportunities actively deconstruct victim-blaming, rape myths and gender norms. Ensure these sessions take an intersectional approach to understanding sexual violence and supporting victim/survivors.
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Ensure the policy is prominently situated and easy to locate on the university website.