We invite the UM community to contribute their feedback, helping us identify areas for improvement and potential gaps in resources. Your input is essential in making the policy as effective and responsive as possible. 

Feedback will be collected through various forums to promote inclusivity and accessibility, and we encourage the entire UM community to provide feedback using this anonymous online form by December 15, 2024. 

In 2019, a comprehensive review led to significant updates to the Sexual Violence Policy, with input from the UM community. This updated policy was expanded to cover all forms of sexual violence, including sexual harassment and sexual assault. In September 2022, two additional sections, “Receiving Disclosures” and “Mandatory Referrals,” were added to enhance clarity and support. 

As with previous policy updates, the community will be informed of any changes once the updated policy is approved. 

The content of the Sexual Violence Policy, while specific to the University of Manitoba, must adhere to provincial and federal laws including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Information Protection Act. 

Sexual Violence Resource Centre  

Community input in policy review is an important part of ensuring that our policies reflect the needs of the community we serve. That said, we recognize the heavy nature of this work. The UM has a number of supports available including the Sexual Violence Resource Centre (SVRC).  

The SVRC provides a safe, confidential space for survivors and those supporting them, offering information, resources, and support with a trauma-informed and survivor-centered approach. These services are available to all UM faculty, staff, and students. 

To reach out to the SVRC: 

• Email: svrc@umanitoba.ca 

• Phone: 204-474-6562 

Additionally, UM offers a broad range of supports and resources that are available for students as well as for faculty and staff. 

• Student Supports 

• Community resources for faculty and staff 

Speaking at the open session of the monthly Board of Governors meeting, Barnard said the response from the community to the report—Responding to Sexual Violence, Harassment & Discrimination at the University of Manitoba: A Path Forward—and the university’s acceptance of its recommendations has been positive.

“I want to thank the authors for their work,” Barnard said. “The document points out a lot of things we need to pay attention to as a community. The advice is valuable.”

Barnard informed the board that the report’s implementation team will hold its first meeting later this week, and he thanked the Board for supporting initiatives to combat sexual violence.

The investment of $430,000 made in preparing the report, Barnard told the Board, is “a substantial investment in a piece that is necessary to moving us forward.”

The report makes 43 recommendations, including the establishment of a Sexual Violence Resource Centre to act as a single point of contact for anyone affected by sexual violence; it will also facilitate coordination among multiple UM offices delivering services to survivors. The report also recommends the banning of intimate relationships between teaching staff and students they supervise, and breaches of this policy will have clear consequences.

“Once again, on behalf of the Board of Governors, I would like to commend President Barnard and his team for showing leadership with this meaningful investment to help combat sexual violence, harassment, and discrimination,” said Jeff Lieberman, chair of the UM Board of Governors.

UM Today will continue to report on the implementation of the report’s recommendations.

I have shared many messages with our community reiterating my commitment – and that of the University’s leadership team – to supporting a culture of respect, safety and inclusion on our campuses. It is important that we give voice to issues that matter, like sexual violence and harassment. It is even more important that we listen and act upon what we hear.

Last spring, discussions began around the drafting of new sexual violence and respectful work and learning environment policies. A number of avenues were made available to our students, alumni, staff and faculty to share input about these key policies and their impacts. Anonymous and confidential feedback systems were put in place last spring; more than 20 stakeholder engagement sessions were held over the summer and fall, and an optional survey was sent to all students. The feedback gathered has been invaluable and led to updates and improvements to the proposed policies, which are currently in draft stage. The goal is to present these policies to the University’s Board of Governors for consideration in June 2019.

More than influencing policy development, the thoughtful, personal, and often pointed feedback we received has helped to enrich our educational materials and opportunities. While there is much more to do, and certainly additional resources to come, I am pleased that today I can announce the launch of a sexual violence awareness online course, which covers many of the key themes highlighted during last year’s stakeholder engagement sessions. Containing foundational information on sexual violence, these five video-based modules are available for all members of our community and I encourage each of you to take the time to watch each one. They cover crucial topics, including consent, policies and procedures, common myths and available resources.

I recently completed the course and I ask all of my colleagues – both faculty and staff – as well as all members of the student community, to do the same. It is our collective responsibility to educate ourselves around sexual violence on campus.

I would like to thank all of you who took the time to engage in candid conversations, either online, or at a stakeholder session. The questions you raised, issues you identified and solutions you offered will continue to guide us as we move ever forward towards creating a culture of consent, respect, trust and inclusivity.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Barnard, President and Vice-Chancellor

Sign in to UM Learn and take the online course here.

That consultation is currently underway, with a goal of having updated policies that reflect the needs of the community, but also meet new sexual violence policy guidelines set out by the Province in 2017.

More than 20 targeted stakeholder consultation sessions are happening across both main university campuses this fall. There are also two broader, facilitated public consultation sessions on November 6 and 7, which all students, staff and faculty are encouraged to attend.

November 6
12PM-1PM
Rm. 224 (MPR A-C) UMSU University Centre
Fort Garry campus

November 7
12PM-1PM
Chown Boardroom
Bannatyne campus

Those who are unable to attend these sessions, or wish to submit their input online, can do so at http://umanitoba.ca/student/rwle-sa-policy-review/.

This website also includes answers to a number of commonly asked questions around the two policies. These FAQs continue to be updated and expanded based on the feedback from the site, as well as through the consultation process.

More information:

Read the current Sexual Assault and Respectful Work and Learning Environment policies

Find a number of important resources at the Sexual Violence Support & Education website

Read more about the Province of Manitoba’s new legislation

This 2.5 hour session will guide University of Manitoba staff on ways to provide compassionate, supportive and consistent responses to those disclosing a sexual assault. This workshop will walk you through the key elements and guidelines to responding to a sexual assault disclosure and introduce and explain the current sexual assault policy on campus. There will also be an interactive portion to the workshop to allow observation, feedback, and practicing based on example scenarios. 

Fort Garry campus:

• October 17- 1:00pm-3:30pm
• November 9- 9:00am-11:30am
• December 4- 1:00pm-3:00pm

Bannatyne campus:

• Wednesday, October 17 – 9:00am – 11:30am
• Wednesday, December 12 – 9:00am – 11:30am

You can register for these sessions on the LOD registration system (search for “Responding to Sexual Assault Disclosures”).

We are currently reviewing our Respectful Work and Learning Environment and Sexual Assault policies, and invite all members of our community to provide feedback.

We are also working with our community in the following ways:

We are listening to and supporting students and bringing about positive and lasting change.

• Undergoing a complete review of the University’s Sexual Assault Policy in light of our experience since Bill 15 was legislated.
• Frequently updating the Sexual Violence Website which includes resources on: Getting  support, giving support, reporting sexual violence, understanding consent and sexual violence, prevention and education
• Installing new supports, including:
  • Klinic Sexual Assault Counsellor on campus
  • Sexual Violence Education and Resource Coordinator new position
  • Expanding the Human Rights and Conflict Management Office resources
• Sexual Violence Steering Committee; new Terms of Reference being developed
• Developing a Sexual Violence Prevention, Education, and Response Strategy

We are supporting our students through ongoing policy review and revision, and by providing immediate and long-term services:

• Sexual Assault Policy is survivor-centered and provides accommodations for affected students
• Sexual Violence Support and Education Website provides comprehensive information about support services and resources on and off campus
• Human Rights and Conflict Management Office promotes, supports, and administers the RWLE and Sexual Assault policies. Receives reports and conducts investigations
• Student Counselling Centre (SCC) provides priority access to services for students experiencing sexual violence, supported by the:
  • Klinic Sexual Assault Counsellor who will work out of SCC one day a week as of September, 2018 to provide additional support and expertise
• Student Support Case Management team of social workers who provide support for at-risk students
• University Health Service provides medical care to students experiencing sexual violence along with referrals to specialized services
• Security Services
  • Patrols of campus and response to incidents
  • 24/7 Safewalk program
  • Rape Aggression Defense training
  • Safety audits
  • Monitoring of CCTV, panic buttons, emergency phones

We are working with our community to change the campus climate:

• Development of comprehensive, survivor-centered Sexual Assault Policy in compliance with Bill 15
  • Provides accommodations for students who experience sexual violence
  • 2016 policy currently under review with campus-wide consultations
• Sexual Assault and Violence Steering Committee
  • Diverse stakeholder group of students, faculty, and administrators who are guiding the planning, implementation and evaluation of assault and sexual violence prevention, education and response initiatives
• Sexual Violence Training Group: developing a comprehensive sexual violence training plan for students, faculty and staff
• Responding to Disclosures Workshops offered to academic and administrative leaders and other employees
• Sexual Violence Education and Resource Coordinator –new position created
• Postsecondary Institutional Network on Sexual Violence collaborative network for resource sharing across Manitoba’s postsecondary institutions
• Sexual Violence Survey
  • Survey of students conducted in April, 2018
  • Results are being tabulated and will inform Sexual Assault Policy revision and development of sexual violence training workshops

We are educating our students on consent culture:

• New Student Orientation includes a presentation on consent and sexual violence
• Student Residences Orientation includes a presentation on ‘Staying Safe in Residences’
• Bringing in the Bystander an evidence-based sexual assault prevention training that is offered to student leaders, residence staff, and other groups by request
• Consent Culture Workshops are offered by UMSU in conjunction with Justice for Women
• Student Leaders attend Consent Culture workshops or Bringing in the Bystander training
• Healthy U peer program offers outreach activities on sexual violence across campus

We are educating our Academic Administrators and Faculty Members on supporting students and creating a climate free from harassment:

• New Faculty Orientation and New Academic Administrators Orientation include sessions on the Respectful Work and Learning Environment and Sexual Assault policies
• New Faculty Workshops and Academic Administrator Workshops include sessions on sexual harassment, sexual assault and responding to disclosures
• The two-day December 2017 Retreat for Senior Administrators focused on equity, diversity and inclusion and included specific sessions on responding to allegations and disclosures of sexual harassment and assault, and creating a climate free from harassment.

READ MORE:

President’s message to community on sexual violence

A message from Vice-Provost (Students), and sexual violence resources for students

Last year, the University of Manitoba community launched a revised set of behavioural policies, including a new stand-alone sexual assault policy.

Like other universities across Canada, the University of Manitoba recognized the continued importance of addressing behavioural issues.

Our ongoing goal is to build a culture of consent, respect, trust, and inclusivity and, most importantly, to ensure the safety of our community.

The revised policies, available online at http://umanitoba.ca/human_rights/rwle/index.html, are clear and direct, resulting from broad and extensive consultation with all groups on campus, including students, staff and faculty.

They also are responsive to the needs of our community.

The policies have been tested, and they work.

That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be reviewed. They can, and will be. Feedback from individuals involved directly in incidents, especially feedback from complainants, is always valued and will inform revisions, which will be undertaken every three years.

As has occurred recently, the effectiveness of our policies will attract scrutiny. Although I cannot speak to any individual case, I do want to take this opportunity to emphasize the university’s unwavering commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful environment.

That means that we deeply respect the concerns of any members of our community who show the courage to come forward with a complaint. Their thoughts and feelings are important to us. We will support them, we will follow through on their concerns, and we will do what we can to ensure their safety.

These matters are complex, and they require navigating many sensitive and challenging issues, often within a competing framework of rights and interests and legislative requirements. In order for the policies to work effectively, they have to respect the confidentiality and privacy of the complainant, but also of the respondent. That can be difficult to accept when one is directly involved, but it is essential in order to maintain the integrity of the process.

I am confident the policies work, that they help keep our campuses safe, inclusive and respectful.

The policies are critical to building the university we want to be, and we are committed to refining them as required. This is an iterative process. We listen, we learn, and we improve.

Perhaps it is fitting that, as we mark Homecoming Week, celebrating our achievements and successes, friendships and relationships, we also remind ourselves of our pledge to build a community together where we learn and work with one another assured of our safety, inclusion and respect.

On April 28, 2017, the provincial government announced the Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act:

Students at Manitoba’s post-secondary institutions will benefit from new requirements for their schools in regards to sexual violence, Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart and Sport, Culture and Heritage Minister Rochelle Squires, minister responsible for the status of women, announced today.

“All students deserve to feel safe while pursuing their studies,” said Wishart at an event at the University of Manitoba.  “As a result of this new law, clear expectations are set for post-secondary institutions on creating a culture of safety and consent, training staff on how to compassionately and appropriately support victims of sexual violence, and setting policies to guide their overall planning and response.”

The Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act takes effect today and applies to all universities, colleges, the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, degree-granting religious institutions and private vocational institutions, Wishart confirmed.

“The University of Manitoba is committed to preventing and addressing sexual violence through education, awareness and fostering a culture of consent, consistent with the aim of our survivor-centred sexual assault policy,” said Susan Gottheil, vice-provost (students) and executive co-sponsor of the sexual assault and violence steering committee at the University of Manitoba.  “We are pleased to see the Province of Manitoba taking this important step in guiding institutions to create an environment where people who have experienced sexual violence feel safer to come forward and receive support.”

The legislation sets out two main responsibilities for all post-secondary schools in Manitoba.  The first is to take a proactive role in raising awareness on campus and improving education about sexual violence.  Secondly, all institutions must have appropriate policies and procedures in place to respond when a student reports an incident of sexual violence.  The legislation also includes a definition of sexual violence, which includes harassment on social media.

“People using social media as a platform for sexual harassment and violence is a sad reality often faced by post-secondary students,” said Squires.  “Including it in our legislation ensures schools will consider how to deal with this online threat and how to support students who may be affected.  It’s an essential component of our comprehensive approach to responding to sexual violence and online harassment.”

Squires noted it is estimated between 15 and 25 per cent of female post-secondary students experience sexual assault or attempted sexual assault during their education, and victims know their attacker 90 per cent of the time.

The province has released the Manitoba Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policy Guide to help institutions ensure they meet the requirements set out under law.  For more information about the requirements and the new policy guide for post-secondary institutions, visit: www.edu.gov.mb.ca/docs/sexual_violence/index.html. 

The Board of Governors approved a new standalone sexual assault policy for the University of Manitoba community at its June 22^nd meeting. The new policy is designed to provide support to individuals who experience sexual assault and to provide guidelines and training to community members on how to respond to a disclosure of sexual violence.

A new sexual assault website was created as part of the implementation of the policy. The site serves as a resource to help those who are looking to get or give support.

Under the previous policy sexual assault and other forms of sexual discrimination and sexual violence were covered under the Respectful Work and Learning Environment as well as other policies at the U of M.

“There was a drive to try and make things simpler and easier to understand so we went through a very long period of consultation with the community. One of the responses we received was the need to have a separate standalone policy for sexual assault,” says Gottheil.

The policy was the culmination of an extensive consultation process. Consultation took place with many different groups on both the Bannatyne and Fort Garry campuses. In total, 17 presentations were given to students, staff and faculty.

“The standalone nature of the new policy emphasizes the seriousness of the issue. We did talk about including it within existing policies, which govern behaviour on campus, and determined that it warranted a unique and special amount of attention,” says Gregory Juliano, Associate Vice-President (Human Resources).

“We were not the first university out of the gate to announce such a policy – but this is because we took the time to get it right. We engaged in very extensive consultations and research.”

UMSU representatives were among those who helped draft the new standalone policy. Dara Hallock, Vice-President, Advocacy was elected after the draft was finalized, but did vote positively for it when the policy was passed by the Board of Governors.

“It means a lot to me the University has a standalone policy on sexual assault. To me it means that the U of M values the seriousness of such assaults and by outlining within the policy the need for such things as education on consent and sexual violence, it means they care about changing the culture of consent here on campus,” says Hallock.

Hallock had the chance to discuss the issue with many of her counterparts across the country this summer. She says she’s grateful for the opportunity to speak with other student leaders about these issues and says the U of M is making progress in the areas of consent culture and sexual violence prevention. She says she was proud to share with other union executives how cooperative the administration at the U of M has been involving student leaders from UMSU and the GSA.

“We have consent culture workshops offered through UMSU for free, we have bystander intervention training being offered for students and staff through the university, and we have a standalone policy. Many student unions are still advocating for the things we now have mandated.”

One of the key elements of the new policy is the recognition that an individual who experiences sexual assault will retain control over the process of reporting a sexual assault. The university may decide to intervene in the case of a minor or if there is an obligation to protect the campus community from harm.

“We want a safe and inclusive community,” says Gottheil. “We take sexual assault seriously. We’re going to respect the person who experiences sexual assault, we’re going to support them and take their direction as to how they want to have an issue resolved.”

The new policy is designed to provide support and training guidelines to assist in dealing with incidents of sexual assault and is the culmination of an extensive consultation process.

Frequently asked Questions

What is the Sexual Assault Policy?

The Sexual Assault Policy provides guidance, assistance and support to members of the University community who have experienced sexual assault or have received a disclosure of sexual assault.  The policy sets out a consistent process for responding to sexual assault that ensures that members of the University community understand their respective rights and obligations when reporting or responding to a sexual assault.

When was the policy passed and when will it take effect?

The policy was passed by the Board of Governors on June 22, 2016 and will become effective on September 1, 2016.

Was there consultation with parties outside of the Behavioural Policy Working Group?

Yes, as with the other updated and new behavioural policies a total of seventeen  presentations were made including to Senate, each of the unions (UMFA, AESES, UNIFOR, CUPE AND CUPE Engineering), Provost’s Council, Associate Deans (Undergraduate), Student Experience Committee, to staff members within Student Support, to the Sexual Assault Working Group (SAWG), to the UMSU senior sticks to UMSU Council to the University Discipline Committee and to the broader community at both Fort Garry Campus and Bannatyne Campus. In addition all UM community members were given the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback via email.

Why has the Sexual Assault Policy as a stand-alone policy been created?

Feedback provided from extensive consultations with members of the University community recommended that the University introduce a stand-alone Sexual Assault Policy.

What are some of the main revisions all University of Manitoba community members should be aware of?

· Recognizes that the individual who experiences sexual assault is the final decision-maker about own interests;

· Outlines who in the University will be consulted for purpose of support and advice;

· Enshrines responsibility of the University to maintain a website to support those affected by sexual assault, those who receive a disclosure and to educate the broader community;

· Provides academic/work accommodations and safety plans to individuals affected by sexual assault; and

· Provides for reports to be prepared by the HRCMO outlining the number and types of complaints received under the policy, the number and types of investigations conducted, de-identified information regarding disclosures that have been reported to the HRCMO and de-identified information regarding particularly important cases.

Whom should I contact if I have any questions or concerns regarding the Sexual Assault Policy?

Contact the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management 204-474-6348 or email Human.Rights@umanitoba.ca