For crisis intervention or mental distress: Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line:
1-888-429-8167

For Confidential support to post-secondary students in Nova Scotia:
Good2Talk: 1-833-292-3698
or text GOOD2TALKNS to 686868

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program for the Halifax area:
902-425-0122

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Caucasian Female

You want to confide in someone accountable

The biggest thing [supporter quality] that I can think of is that you want to confide in someone that can be accountable, so someone that - 'cause some people might say "I am here for you," but then when you actually might need them again, they might not be. So I think being accountable and trustworthy, because you are confiding in this person to hopefully not open their mouth to many others.

Recommendations

  • Promote SANE nurses as supporters for victims/survivors. Ideally, this would happen in the context of a formal partnership with SANE nurses, which includes 24/7 availability of SANE nurse services on campus.

  • Create and promote avenues for comprehensive sex education.

  • 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.

  • Provide students with information about what can serve as evidence of sexual assault for the purposes of a university investigation. This information should appear in the policy itself and in educational materials about the policy.