Protecting my privacy or catching the bad guy
I did tell my mom about the sexual assault when it happened to me, but our culture - I guess you already know it is Chinese culture - it is very conservative. Older parents, grandparents, they probably think the reason is that you dressed too sexy in public, you did something that caused the sexual assault. Instead of thinking that the people who did the crime had bad intentions for you. So, it's really hard to explain to my parents, 'cause I actually told my parents, "Oh, the police told me if they found the guy who did this, I might have to go to court. I would have to provide evidence, I would need to be the one to say he is the one." [...] But my parents would rather if I don't go. They would say, "but I don’t want you to get in trouble, I don't want it to be on your record." I will say that I want to catch the bad guy.
Recommendations
-
Deliver accessible education about Canadian sexual assault laws, including how they work, and the ways they tend to fail survivors in practice.
-
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.
-
Emphasize the victim's right to decide whether they would like to report the incident after they have disclosed it to the university. Ensure the victim is aware of the formal and informal routes for reporting, including the option of reporting to the police. Clearly communicate any limits to confidentiality.