Advanced Education and Skills Development aims to get feedback on sexual violence
The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) launched a survey to get feedback on sexual violence on post-secondary institution campuses. The Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey was launched via e-mail to all full-time university students over the age of 18 on Feb. 26.
The survey aims to gather information from students regarding sexual violence in and around post-secondary institutions.
Sexual violence is defined by the Sexual Violence and Harrassment Action Plan (Bill 132) as “any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened, or attempted against a person without the person’s consent, and includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism, and sexual exploitation.”
The survey will ask about beliefs, such as perceptions of consent; knowledge, including knowledge of supports, services, and reporting procedures on campus; experiences; satisfaction with the institution’s responses; and education and prevention.
Results of the survey will be used to identify and address issues regarding sexual violence, specifically, understanding what gaps exist in education, supports, and programming. Additionally, the survey hopes to create continued awareness in post-secondary institutions and the community. The University of Guelph plans to use the results to improve its sexual violence policy, procedures, and services. U of G also hopes to gain a deeper understanding of sexual violence behaviour and supports specific to Guelph. Lastly, the survey will allow the ministry to access the effectiveness of the required sexual violence policies. In 2016, the MTCU Act was revised to require all Ontario post-secondary institutions to implement and report on sexual violence policies.
Results will be shared with institutions this summer, and general results will be published.
This survey is not just the largest survey on sexual violence in Ontario, but is also the largest post-secondary survey on any topic in Ontario.
Development of the survey was completed by MAESD’s Sexual Violence Reporting Advisory Committee, which was formed in 2015.
MAESD plans to conduct the Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey every three years. In addition to the survey, MAESD is compiling Common Institutional Metrics, which are measurements of reports of sexual violence at post-secondary institutions. These two initiatives are part of MAESD’s survivor-centric approach to creating a comprehensive understanding of the experience and perception of sexual violence on campuses.
Image by Tasha Falconer