My family does not know that I was assaulted
My family does not know that I was assaulted. Even with the whole Bret Kavanaugh thing that is going on in the states, there is this [pause] not necessarily blaming, but there is like, "something else must have happened." They are not so blunt about it, but the understanding of sexual assault in general from my experience seems to be that both parties are not necessarily innocent. Do you know what I mean? If the woman was sexually assaulted, there is a reason behind that. That has changed a lot for my dad, just being around working with people and things like that, and having seen so much on TV, they're starting to change that. But when it comes to, like, Pakistani dramas that we watch on TV, if the plot deals with sexual assault, it automatically changes to like "Oh, the girls are being more social"; or "she is around boys that are, you know, na-mahram"; or, like, they are not her family, she is not married, they are not married, so that's why it happened. So again, it goes back to the taboo thing. If it does happen, then you can't go and talk about it because then it's like, "Oh, my family is going to think this that and the other," and I am going to be seen as promiscuous or, that I did something, even though you are not responsible for anything.
Recommendations
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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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Develop a one-page document for parents/guardians of students that highlights key policy points and links to sexual assault resources and supports available in Canada.
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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.