Perspectives on responses to sexual assault

Participant 1: For instance, “filing a report directly to the police” [as suggested to survivors in a 2019 SV/SA policy] – it’s little things like that, like, if we are speaking from the perspective of…

Participant 1: I also think they should have more people of colour available to help someone. A woman or guy of colour might not feel comfortable going to someone that wouldn’t understand them […]. So,…

I think this highlights the issue of feeling alone in these kinds of circumstances. I would say that as young Black leaders in the community, it is kind of on us to make sure that…

I think trust is a huge thing. I feel that in these situations, the onus is not on the victim, the onus is on the supporter to show the victim, like, “You can trust me.…

I hope everyone in this conversation is aware of the movie Birth of a Nation. If you’re not aware of it, you have to look that up. Essentially, it was a movie from the 1920s…

I feel like it’s also important to come into situations like this and other situations too, from a point of harm reduction, versus a purely justice standpoint. I say this to say that in certain…

I agree with what everyone said, and maybe, just to go a little bit further, and just make like, somewhere that African Nova Scotians could specifically turn to in these situations. You know, say this…

SMU has so many international students, and if we’re thinking of the Middle East where a lot of people come with language barriers, is there the option of speaking to someone who is not Canadian…

Participant 1: Some people would still be hesitant to opening up to someone from their country, just in case they feel like they would judge them more, especially in the Middle East. Participant 2: I…

I believe that they [a person supporting a survivor] should definitely just have empathy first and foremost. But I also believe they should be able to be really understanding. I don’t know if the word…