All new students at Western University should have to complete training in gender-based and sexual violence before they arrive on campus, a committee has recommended in response to heightened concerns about student safety.
That recommendation is one of four put forward by the university's action committee on gender-based and sexual violence, which was struck last fall after allegations surfaced on social media of sexual assaults on campus during orientation week.
The committee's interim recommendations, which were made public Monday, also include enhancing housing support staff in student residences and hiring more gender-based and sexual violence staff on campus.
The committee is further calling on the university to provide orientation leaders and student mentors with new training to ensure they understand gender-based and sexual violence, as well as other aspects of student safety and well-being.
Nadine Wathen, action committee co-chair, professor and Canada Research Chair in Mobilizing Knowledge on Gender-Based Violence, said the interim recommendations are timely as the university prepares to welcome a new batch of students in the fall.
"We felt that it was important at this particular time of year, as the university and the student groups start planning for the fall 2022 intake of new students, to create some recommendations that were really focused on that transition to campus period," she said.
She noted that the recommendations are a result of ongoing community consultations, adding that four of the 11 members on the committee are students who have shared feedback.
"I think that that's actually what's going to make the difference, is that the student leaders and the student voice is really out in front of this issue and saying, 'We need our entire campus community coming together to make this place safer for everyone involved,"' Wathen said.
In a statement, Western University's acting president Sarah Prichard said she welcomes the recommendations and looks forward to working with the student associations and the community to implement them.
"Since the events of September, we have adopted new training for students and employees, added new supports for students and increased the number of Western Special Constables to enhance campus security," she said.
"These interim recommendations will take us another significant stride forward before the fall 2022 term.”
AnnaLise Trudell, manager of education, training and research at Anova, a gender-based violence shelter in London, Ont., that works with Western students, called the recommendations "robust."
She said she was glad to see that there wasn't a focus on policing and that they offer a "good balance" between focused actions on preventing gender-based and sexual violence and supporting survivors.
However, Trudell said the "devil is in the detail" when it comes to implementing the recommendations and making a true shift in the university's campus culture.
"We need to get a little granular with what specifically is going to be in some of the education component," she said.
"There's lots of talk around sort of consent and sexual violence, but we've been doing consent and sexual violence education for years on campus, without significant behaviour change."
Trudell added that the recommendations offer an opportunity for Western University to become a leader in addressing gender-based and sexual violence on campus, noting that other post-secondary institutions should look at ways to address the issue as well.
"This is not a Western only problem," she said.
"Post-secondary campuses are notorious for sexual violence cultures and that's for all kinds of confounding reasons ... So absolutely, other campuses should be stepping up to the plate."
Wathen echoed these remarks, saying she hopes Western can set an example for other institutions.
"This is an issue across post secondary campuses, it's an issue in all of our institutions in society. Gender-based and sexual violence is everywhere, it's pervasive, so I certainly think that each context needs to best understand what's going on in its situation and tailor its strategies accordingly," she said.
Allegations of mass drugging and sexual assaults at Western's Medway-Sydenham Hall residence surfaced on social media in September. Days later, hundreds of students walked out of classes to demand a change in what they described as a toxic campus culture at the university.
Police later said they had received no formal complaints of sexual violence at the residence, but that their investigation into the allegations remains open.
An independent review into the events that are alleged to have happened on campus, off-campus and online at Western last fall is currently underway to identify gaps and outline recommendations for change.
The committee on gender-based and sexual violence is set to submit its final report with detailed findings and recommendations to Western in the spring.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2022.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Noushin Ziafati, The Canadian Press
