How I would educate my children
I think the first step of educating my children would be what constitutes sexual violence and what is some of the language you need to know. "What is consent," the definition of that, and what will constitute breaking consent. Further to that, telling them, [...] if this happens, this is where you go, or this is how you’d be able to deal with it, this is whom you talk to. [...] Being aware of it now would be the start; and I think that should take the same structure of what we should be doing in the universities. You know, expanding on programs that would encourage services that speak about sexual violence, prevention, getting trained, and all that information. But making it somewhat mandatory in our - in our resources and opportunities from the first day they start university.
Recommendations
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Deliver accessible education about Canadian sexual assault laws, including how they work, and the ways they tend to fail survivors in practice.
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Create and promote avenues for comprehensive consent education.
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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