Members will develop a framework and lead discussion to further guide federal action across Canada
January 16, 2018 – Montréal, QC – Department for Women and Gender Equality
No one should be subject to acts of violence—period. However, incidents of sexual assault on school, college, and university campuses remain one of the most often reported types of violence since #MeToo. Additionally, nearly half of all sexual assaults are committed against women aged 15 to 24.
To help address this critical issue, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality, met with the newly established Advisory Committee on the Framework to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence at Post-Secondary Institutions. Chaired by the Department for Women and Gender Equality, the Advisory Committee will provide advice and expertise on the development, consultation and implementation of the framework. Members include representatives from student groups, colleges and universities, unions, community organizations, survivor advocates, and front-line service workers. Together, alongside key drafters Farrah Khan and CJ Rowe and a team of student experts from Possibility Seeds Consulting, they will provide guidance on a framework and support initial consultations before a final document is submitted this spring. The framework, in turn, will act as a comprehensive resource for post-secondary institutions to help guide actions in preventing and addressing gender-based violence.
Budget 2018 announced $5.5. million in funding to the Department for Women and Gender Equality's to work with a variety of stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments, towards ending gender-based violence at post-secondary institutions across Canada. The Advisory Committee is a direct result of this investment, and will complement actions under the first-ever federal Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-Based Violence.
"Going off to college or university is a significant time in our lives. Parents and students alike plan for this important milestone, expecting personal growth and professional opportunities in return for their significant investments. Currently, there is no national framework to prevent something no parent or student should experience. Despite the work done to date, the staggering rates of sexual violence on Canadian campuses remain. That's why our government is working with an advisory council of survivors, students and partners across the country to ensure the safety of Canada's youth while they complete their studies."
The Honourable Maryam Monsef, P.C., M.P.
Minister for Women and Gender Equality
Quick facts
Today, only 28 per cent of Canadians fully understand what constitutes sexual consent (down from 33 per cent in 2015).[1]
Of all sexual assault incidents reported in Canada, nearly half (47 per cent) were committed against women aged 15 to 24, and 41 per cent of all sexual assaults across Canada were reported by students.[2]
Reported incidents of sexual assault saw considerable increases after #MeToo went viral in October 2017, with sexual assaults on school, college, or university property nearly doubling (+87%) compared with the average number reported per quarter before #MeToo (439 versus 235 incidents).[3]
