All my siblings have some experience regarding sexual assault
I have siblings, and my siblings are girls. So, if something like this were to happen, I think they’d very much encourage me to report it, rumours or not. Because, unfortunately, I feel like all my siblings have some experience or something regarding sexual assault. So, to relate to that, they would want me to report it because I think in those cases when they experienced it, they were in a different country where those kinds of things were ridiculed. So, for that to happen to me here in North America, I think they’d want me to take advantage of people taking it possibly more seriously than back in Africa.
Recommendations
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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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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.
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Use multiple formats to deliver accessible education about the SV/SA policy during orientation and at least once per semester