MSVU

Participant 1: I think that the people reading this [gesturing to the policy] are most likely people who have been assaulted- […] I feel like it needs to be really front-loaded like, “if you’ve been…

Okay, so do you know who they [the investigator] would be? […] I’ve had an experience recently in my life where there can be a certain amount of distrust for an organizational body to investigate…

I think people should maybe be more aware of informal resolution because I never really knew that existed or that it was an option. I mean, it’s a good way for people not to get…

Participant 1: I wonder if there could be a part [of the policy] that would be like, “have you sexually [pause]- do you feel like there are shades of grey?” Because maybe they had sex…

I know that language can be a huge barrier and also when you look around, and all you see are white faces, and you are not [white], that can be very intimidating and unwelcoming. So,…

I would just advocate that there are people to talk to, especially the counsellors. I’m in psychology, so I think it’s super important to have someone to talk to and just express your thoughts. […]…

If my friend disclosed to me, I think I would want to know whether she felt safe at that moment. I’d ask what she needed from me, how I could help in terms of talking,…

Participant 1: You would have to listen, and from my personal experience, I’ve always found support in my peers. So, talking to someone who has either experienced sexual assault or somebody trained in it and…

You can feel so ashamed. Like, “I just want to forget about it,” [in a whisper] “I don’t ever want to think about it again,” “I don’t want to have to deal with it,” and…

I remember reading this thing in one of my classes, and I think it was like one in four [university students are sexually assaulted], and that seems like a crazy number and a lot of…