In healthy intimate relationships where people are dating, living together and/or married, partners treat each other with care, kindness, and mutual respect. Partners can live their individual lives feeling emotionally and physically safe to be who they are and are not being controlled or manipulated.

Unfortunately, we know this feeling of safety in intimate relationships isn’t being experienced by everyone on campus. At UM’s Sexual Violence Resource Centre (SVRC), we regularly provide support to students, staff and faculty who are living in situations that do not feel safe to them, and may include aspects of emotional and physical abuse.

Unhealthy relationships

In your relationship with your intimate partner(s), you should not experience or feel afraid of  experiencing:

• Physical harm, including hitting, grabbing and non-consensual touching
• Social control, including having your whereabouts or communications monitored
• Emotional harm, including name-calling and domineering words
• Financial harm, including control of money or other resources
• Other acts in which you feel fearful of your partner, or afraid to be yourself around them

In relationships that include these aspects, the desires of one partner often dominate the desires and needs of another, creating an unbalanced and unsafe dynamic. 

Intimate partner violence

You may have heard the term “intimate partner violence.” This is a phrase that describes abusive behavior occurring within a dating, common-law or married relationship that includes verbal, emotional, psychological, sexual, physical and/or financial mistreatment. Intimate partner violence can impact anyone, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, age, and educational, socioeconomic, religious and cultural backgrounds. It is important to note that women and girls experience intimate partner violence at higher rates, as reported recently by Statistics Canada.

Support is available

If you or someone you know is in a relationship where your partner is displaying these behaviors, assistance is available to you. UM’s SVRC offers confidential support to students, staff and faculty members impacted by sexual violence; this includes experiences of intimate partner violence.

Support can be accessed via phone, email, in-person or Zoom. The SVRC is located at 537 UMSU University Centre and UM community members can access assistance by contacting the SVRC at svrc@umanitoba.ca, 204-474-6562, or in-person at the office.  Regular drop-in hours are available, or appointments can be made ahead of time. Visit the SVRC website for more information.

September is Sexual Health Month, an initiative of the World Association of Sexual Health.  This year’s theme of Positive Relationships highlights the importance of relationships – including intimate, romantic and family relationships – being based on a foundation of consent, respect and safety.

“The SVRC offers a number of programs, workshops and education opportunities throughout the year, through these interactions we have heard from male students about their struggles in creating positive campus change,” says Emily Livingston, Education and Programs Office at the SVRC. “Our goal with this pilot project is to engage men in our community, collaborating with and supporting them on doing the work they see needs to be done in creating a more healthy and equitable campus.”

In addition to engaging and supporting each other in their personal growth, group members will envision, design and carry out a number of outreach activities during the winter semester with the goal of engaging male students in sexual violence prevention initiatives. Participants will receive an honoraria for their involvement with the program.

“The group will provide the space for male students to recognize their role in creating a safer University environment while also allowing folks to explore some of their pre-conceived notions of what it means to be a man in today’s world,” says José Diaz, SVRC Trauma Specialist. ”We want to provide support to participants who have the desire to create campus change, who are committed to building a safer campus for everybody.”

Information on applying for a spot in this program is available on UMconnect or by emailing sveducation@umanitoba.ca. Deadline for applications is Tuesday, August 27 at midnight. Students who self-declare as men and/or gender non-binary are encouraged to apply.

Research about men’s ice hockey has consistently revealed that the culture is saturated in sexism, misogyny, homophobia and hypermasculinity.

Beyond research, people have come forward in highly publicized stories speaking to experiences of sexism, being silenced and sexual violence at the hands of hockey players and teams.

And these stories echo those told to us by elite-level hockey players who participated in our small interview-based study in 2021 where we explored how participants resisted the expectations of hypermasculinity in hockey culture.

An established history

In June 2022, Hockey Canada was summoned to speak at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in response to the organization’s settlement for the alleged sexual assault of a woman by players at a Hockey Canada event.

There, Hockey Canada CEO Tom Renney said the alleged incident committed by members of Canada’s 2017-18 U20 Men’s World Junior Team was “unacceptable and incompatible with Hockey Canada’s values and expectations.”

We disagree. This is entirely on brand — the assault, the impulse to cover it up and the broader community’s attempt to label this as an isolated incident. This is part of hockey culture.

Rather than finger-pointing, the hockey community needs to consider the ways entrenched hierarchies, rewarded performances of masculinity and enforcement of a “bro code” encourage this behaviour.

The tragedy is not just that this happened, but that Hockey Canada’s first impulse was to protect their image and that not a single team member came forward.

What happens in the dressing room stays there

One of our research participants spoke about how being a good teammate means being silent:

“There’s stuff that happens in the dressing room, obviously, talking about girls, parties, whatever is the case, that happens in there, that sort of stays in there for the most part. Well, on good teams it stays in there. Whether it’s who you’re hooking up with, if you got sent pictures from some girl, everyone sees them. So it stays in the dressing room and it’s a team builder. It’s not to embarrass people in front of the outside world.”

This locker room culture encourages and rewards particular performances of masculinity. And players who don’t adhere to implicit and explicit organizational expectations risk being ostracized.

There are sexual assault allegations against members of Canada’s 2017-18 U20 Men’s World Junior Team. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Blinch

Despite this, anonymous participants in our study willingly recognized the inherent sexism in hockey culture and told stories of women and girls being used for props and “points” at team events. One participant shared, “I had a coach do body shots off a 15-year-old girl at a rookie party.”

This narrative touches on many issues in hockey culture: the normalization of underage drinking and partying, the objectification of women and girls, the lack of social responsibility and the complicity of coaches.

These stories are the result of broader hockey culture, and Hockey Canada can only affect change once they scrutinize the underlying culture that normalizes and rewards this behaviour.

Education for new understandings in hockey culture

Hockey Canada’s CEO also said the organization is interested in addressing “behavioural issues” through changes to its code of conduct and improved education programs. As educators, we suggest Hockey Canada:

1. Reflect on its own response to allegations of sexual assault. What is it teaching hockey players about sexual violence, consent and human value, when the impulse is to pay, privilege and protect players?
2. Recognize that these issues are systemic, and work to change the culture of hockey rather than centring discussions on individual “bad apples.”
3. Make discussions and workshops about sexual violence, consent and healthy relationships part of team training.
4. Make space for discussions about the “brand” of masculinity that is expected, promoted and rewarded in hockey culture. Our research made it clear that no overt discussions of masculinity had previously occurred, which had consequences on the mental and physical health of participants.
5. Interrogate the institutional practices that reward particular performances of masculinity. Consider how the rigid hierarchies in hockey culture contribute to a culture of silencing.
6. Go beyond the superficial. Rather than using corporate campaigns to re-brand hockey, meaningfully engage in critique.

Those who initiate criticism against hockey culture are often met with emotional and passionate rebukes that “the game is changing.” And incidents of reprehensible behaviour are regularly dismissed as involving a small number of players and not indicative of a deep-rooted systemic problem.

We believe it is critical to continually bring into question and interrogate how gender is understood, constructed and performed by all those who are involved in hockey to truly change the culture.

Shannon D. M. Moore, Assistant professor of social studies education, Department of Curriculum Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba; Teresa Anne Fowler, Assistant Professor, Education, Concordia University of Edmonton, and Tim Skuce, Associate Professor, Curriculum and Pedagogy, Brandon University

Initially offered in 2017, Responding to Disclosures continues to be a valuable workshop designed to help faculty and staff members prepare for a situation in which someone discloses an experience of sexual violence to them. Sexual violence is an umbrella term representing a broad range of inappropriate behaviours, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking. Sexual violence impacts individuals of all genders, identities, abilities, and backgrounds, and all members of our community should be aware of the risks and prepared to help support someone disclosing an experience of sexual violence.

“Many who have these experiences first turn to someone they trust to tell their story. How that first disclosure is received can have a huge impact on the individual’s healing and how they move forward. Through this training, we hope participants will feel confident in responding in a caring and supportive way,” explains Emily Livingston, Sexual Violence Education & Program Officer at the UM Sexual Violence Resource Centre.

Designed to give staff and faculty the knowledge and skills to respond to disclosures in an effective, compassionate, supportive, and consistent way, the workshop walks participants through key elements and guidelines for responding to a disclosure of sexual violence and making appropriate referrals. While the workshop does include a brief overview of the university’s Sexual Violence Policy, the focus of this workshop is on a supportive and survivor-centred response to the person disclosing, focusing on their needs while providing options for support and information.

Sessions will be offered both online and in-person over the coming year. Both offerings are interactive, providing participants with opportunities to engage with one another in group discussions, practice receiving disclosures for different scenarios, and receive feedback from facilitators.

“As the university returns to in-person activities we want to ensure members of the UM staff and faculty community have access to this important training,” says Bre Woligroski, Sexual Violence Resource Centre Coordinator.  “Whether the person disclosing experienced violence in person or virtually, we want all staff and faculty to feel equipped to respond in a survivor-centered and supported way.”

Registration is now open for the next session being held on Tuesday, June 14^th. Staff and faculty interested in attending a workshop are encouraged to sign up through the Learning & Organizational Development website. For more information on the workshop please email emily.livingston@umanitoba.ca.

A student version of Responding to Disclosures is also available. Student groups, as well as staff and faculty members who supervise student groups on campus, are welcome to book a cost-free workshop. Please contact Emily at the email above for more information.

The focus of this programming is to provide resources and training to anyone who is looking for guidance in areas such as navigating consent, responding to disclosures of sexual violence, and sexual violence prevention.

The University of Manitoba is committed to providing all students, faculty, and staff with a safe environment in which to learn, teach, work and live. This means creating a campus that is free from all forms of sexual violence – including sexual harassment and assault.

Sexual Violence Awareness Week events

GradSteps Workshop: Swiping, Ghosting & DTRs – Navigating Consent & Safety in Digital Dating Apps

Open to graduate students only

February 7
12:00pm – 1:00pm

Dating is never easy; dating during a pandemic is even harder. This workshop will provide an honest overview of the benefits of digital dating, while discussing the complexities and risks users face when using these platforms. Practical strategies and tips will be provided for keeping yourself and others safe, both online and in person.

Workshop: Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence

February 8
5:00pm – 8:00pm

During this workshop, students will learn about sexual violence and the impacts it can have on those who experience it, explore what a supportive response looks like, discuss available on- and off-campus resources, and recognize their own limits in offering support. Participants can engage with one another in group discussions, practice receiving disclosures for different scenarios, and receive feedback from facilitators.

Register for the workshop
For more information, please contact: emily.livingston@umanitoba.ca

UMSU Virtual Healthy Sexuality Expo: Sexual Violence Resource Centre Booth

Open to all students, staff and faculty

February 9 & 10
10:00am – 3:00pm

The Sexual Violence Resource Centre (SVRC) will have a virtual booth set up during UMSU’s Virtual Healthy Sexuality Expo for those looking for more information about the resources available to community members. Join us on the event platform.

For more information, follow UMSU’s Instagram account or Facebook page

THRIVE session: “That didn’t feel right . . .”
Five ways to support co-workers, and yourself, when personal boundaries are crossed

Open to staff and faculty only

February 10
12:00pm – 1:00pm

A sense of personal space, personal safety and body autonomy is essential for people to thrive in their workplace. What can we do if these personal boundaries are crossed, either for ourselves or colleagues whom we are concerned about? This session will explore trauma-informed approaches to supporting colleagues and ourselves during times where our personal boundaries are challenged.

Due to the nature of this sensitive topic, participants will be encouraged to participate in whatever way is best for them and are welcome to but will not be pressured to discuss or contribute to group discussion.

Register by emailing bre.woligroski@umanitoba.ca

Bringing in the Bystander

Open to all students

February 10
1:00pm – 4:00pm

Bringing in the Bystander is an effective interactive prevention workshop that is based on the concept that all community members have a role to play in preventing sexual violence. Student participants learn the importance of speaking out against social norms that support sexual violence, identifying potential risks in various situations, and exploring how to safely interrupt or intervene in situations that can lead to sexual violence.

Register for the workshop
For more information please contact: bitb@umanitoba.ca

Additional events related to UMSU’s Healthy Sexuality Month include:

February 4 – Drag Queen Bingo

February 14 – Sex Trivia Night

Those looking for more information about these events are encouraged to keep an eye on the UMSU Instagram account over the course of the month.

Connect with the Sexual Violence Resource Centre

The SVRC would like to remind any UM community member who is affected by sexual violence that you are not alone and that the SVRC is open and here to help you.

The services provided by the SVRC are available to anyone belonging to the UM community, including students, staff and faculty.

More information on the Sexual Violence Research Centre and related resources can be found on their website or by calling the SVRC at 204-474-6562.

In order to help contribute to a culture of safety on campus—UM’s Student Support is recruiting paid facilitators for a sexual violence prevention program called Bringing in the Bystander.

Bringing in the Bystander is an effective, interactive prevention workshop that is based on the concept that all community members have a role to play in preventing sexual violence. This program is housed within the University of Manitoba’s Sexual Violence Resource Centre and is a component of the broader Sexual Violence Prevention and Education strategy on campus. 

Student participants learn the importance of speaking out against social norms that support sexual violence, to become aware of and identify potential risks in various situations, to develop empathy and support for persons who have experienced violence and explore how to safely interrupt or intervene in situations that can lead to sexual violence. Participants also learn about important resources on and off campus to support their peers who may have witnessed or lived through these harmful experiences.

“Bringing in the Bystander is such a great initiative at UM because it empowers students to intervene in potentially dangerous situations. Learning the necessary skills to safely take action and help others will create a safer environment for U of M students,” said Lauren Bartlett of the Bisons Women’s Basketball team.

As a paid facilitator, you will help deliver this program to students on campus and contribute to a shared community knowledge of the impact of sexual violence – and how bystanders have an important role to play in overall community safety.

Facilitators will receive training in the program – and will be expected to facilitate workshops throughout the school year and over the summer. These workshops have the potential to be transformative for both facilitators and student participants.

“The Bringing in the Bystander program provides students with the practical skills needed to help end sexual violence on our campuses. Its focus on education with years of research to back it up proves it works,” said Riley Shannon, Bringing in the Bystander program assistant.

Training for Bringing in the Bystander facilitators will be overseen and organized by Bre Woligroski, Sexual Violence Resource Centre Coordinator, Britt Harvey, Health and Wellness Educator, and Leah Deane, Director, Student Services at Bannatyne Campus.

“Sexual violence is an important issue that deeply impacts members of our University community. I think this program offers invaluable training and knowledge to students on the issue of sexual violence. As a facilitator, you will be at the forefront of that work,” says Leah Deane, Director, Student Services at Bannatyne.

In order to qualify to be a paid facilitator you need to be a full-time student (nine credit hours per term) and be able to commit to 18 months with the program beginning this summer.

For successful applicants there will be paid mandatory training on May 17 from 1:00 – 4:00pm as well as May 19 & 20 from 10:00am – 4:30pm.

Detailed application information for the facilitator opportunity can be found here. Deadline for applications is May 3, 2021 at 4:30 p.m.

For further details or questions please contact us at bitb@umanitoba.ca.

Initially offered in 2017, Responding to Disclosures is ideal for all faculty and staff members – there is no limit to who could be faced with a situation in which someone discloses sexual violence.

“Often times people first turn to someone they trust to disclose what has happened to them. How that first disclosure is received can have a huge impact on the individual’s healing and how they move forward. Through this training, we hope participants will feel confident in responding in a caring and supportive way,” explains Emily Livingston, virtual sexual violence education facilitator.

Designed to give staff and faculty the knowledge and skills to respond to disclosures in an effective, compassionate, supportive, and consistent way, the workshop walks participants through key elements and guidelines to responding to a disclosure of sexual violence and making appropriate referrals. While the workshop does include a brief overview of the university’s Sexual Violence policy, the focus of this workshop is on effective response to and less so on the process of filing a formal complaint or report.

The newly-adapted online version of the workshop continues to be interactive, providing participants with the opportunity to engage with one another in group discussions, practice receiving disclosures for different scenarios, and receive feedback from facilitators.

“As the university continues to operate in a primarily virtual environment, we want to ensure members of the UM staff and faculty community have access to this important training,” says Bre Woligroski, Sexual Violence Resource Centre Coordinator.  “Whether the person disclosing experienced violence in person or virtually, we want all staff and faculty to feel equipped to respond in a survivor-centered and supported way.”   

Registration is now open for spring sessions. Staff and faculty interested in attending a workshop are encouraged to sign up through the Learning & Organizational Development website. For more information on the workshop please email emily.livingston@umanitoba.ca. Plans are also underway to launch Responding to Disclosures workshops tailored towards students and other targeted groups on campus in the near future.

The SVRC provides education, resources, and other information regarding sexual violence for all students, faculty, and staff members. Bre Woligroski, the SVRC Coordinator, expands on the myriad of ways the office can support the University community. “We’re involved in prevention and response education, and we also provide support for people who have had experiences with sexual violence themselves or are supporting others who have.”

Students can also receive assistance in finding and accessing related resources within and beyond the UM environment. “If a student has had an experience and they’d like to access counselling, or find a safe place to live, we can help with information on that,” Woligroski adds.

The SVRC recognizes that people’s experiences with sexual violence and the process of navigating these events will vary across all individuals. Thus, the office prioritizes providing a safe, inclusive, and accessible space where people can share their stories without doubting that they’re being supported, regardless of how that process takes form.

“We’re rooted in a trauma-informed and survivor-centred approach. It’s not our job to persuade or pressure anyone to take any action, but it’s our job to sit and listen to what is offered, and assist the person in their goals in that moment. We focus on the survivors and what they need,” Woligroski says. “What affects their studies, work, and personal life, we can help with resources to assist in those complications.”

Confidentiality is also of utmost importance in the SVRC’s mandate. While the office keeps records of its contacts, these are separated from any other records on or off campus and information is not released without permission of the people involved, except under circumstances required by law.

Although campus drop-in visits are currently unavailable due to COVID-19, the office can be contacted by phone or email. Individualized support services are still accessible by phone calls or secure video chat appointments.

Bringing in the Bystander, a program that provides opportunities for students to actively engage in ways to prevent sexual violence, has also adapted to remote delivery. Student facilitators are currently hosting virtual workshops where students are trained by their own peers in multiple approaches to responding to sexual violence while building a supportive atmosphere for survivors.

A year after opening its doors, the SVRC has tremendous plans to expand their offerings. Current circumstances have delayed the rollout process for new programs, but Woligroski remains eager to continue developing the SVRC and its support initiatives, including expanded educational initiatives around consent and healthy relationships as well as a peer support program. Thus, students can directly contribute to making the University of Manitoba a safer environment with a greater focus on respect and consent.

More information on the Sexual Violence Research Centre and related resources can be found on their website or by calling the SVRC at 204-474-6562.

Launched in January 2020, the SVRC has been operating throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with full services available to all members of the UM community. While in-person visits are currently suspended in compliance with public health directives, anyone can receive confidential support by phone or video chat.

“There’s no concern that’s too small, because this is about our community,” says Bre Woligroski, the SVRC’s coordinator. “Sexual violence is really complicated. Because it encompasses so many things, sometimes people are not even sure if it’s a problem or they think that maybe they’re overreacting. We hear a lot of that. People often feel like their feelings don’t matter. And they do.”

The SVRC is staffed by professionals trained in supporting survivors of sexual violence. Their intake & triage specialist assesses needs, clarifies options and coordinates a plan to support those directly affected by sexual violence or who are supporting someone they are concerned for. Through an arrangement with Klinic, the SVRC also offers counselling on both the Bannatyne and Fort Garry campuses to help people work through their emotions and provide strategies for coping and thriving.

Open to all

The SVRC is available for everyone in the UM community, including faculty, staff and students – whether they have experienced sexual violence or are looking to support someone who has. The incident does not need to be UM related, or have happened on campus.

Staff also provide resources and support specific to members of the 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous and International communities.

Confidential, survivor-centred support

Accessing the SVRC is always confidential. No information is shared with other parties, including university departments, and people can use a pseudonym if they are more comfortable with not using their real name.

“We work very strongly from a survivor-centred model so the needs of the person accessing our services are central to every encounter,” explains Woligroski. “We let them know that nothing’s in a file that others can see. Your professor won’t see this, your boss won’t see this, other universities won’t see this. All we care about is supporting what the survivor wants for their life. If someone calls to say they need safe housing, they don’t have to tell us a story about it. They can tell us as much or as little as they want to.”

At the first meeting, staff will clarify with the person they are helping that there is no pressure to share anything they don’t want to, or take any action they aren’t comfortable with. Those who access SVRC are in control of the process, with limited exceptions such as mandated reporting of child abuse.

Comprehensive resources for any situation

The complex nature of sexual violence means that it often impacts many aspects of people’s lives, which the SVRC can also assist with. From helping to find a safe place to live, to addressing concerns with food security, health and wellness, or accommodations in courses or the work setting, the SVRC is a comprehensive resource.

Students, faculty and staff who need support can reach the Sexual Violence Resource Centre by emailing svrc [at] umanitoba [dot] ca, or by calling 204-474-6562. Emails and phone calls are received Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. For immediate 24/7 sexual violence support, call the Klinic Sexual Assault Crisis Line anytime at 1‑888‑292‑7565.

Online modules are also available through UM Learn. They explain policies and procedures, define consent and power differentials in relationships, and debunk common myths around sexual violence.

Students, faculty and staff all have a role to play in addressing sexual violence and supporting survivors. UM has created a number of resources to raise awareness about what sexual violence is and how we as a community can take action against it.

One of the resources available is the online Sexual Violence Awareness course, which is accessible through UM Learn. Originally launched in March 2019, the course has been updated with new material and includes a new module on the Sexual Violence Resource Centre, revised guidelines and policy changes, as well as enhanced content on consent and power differentials.

“The modules provide helpful and practical information on preventing and responding to sexual violence, guidelines on how to interact with each other respectfully, and resources students, staff and faculty can use personally or if supporting someone else,” says Laurie Schnarr, Vice-Provost (Students), and co-chair of the Sexual Violence Steering Committee. “They don’t require a large time commitment and are always available on UM Learn so members of the University community can return to them anytime.”

The video-based course features students, faculty and staff from across the university explaining what sexual violence is, along with animation and infographics on how to navigate some of the common scenarios one might encounter at university.

“We are committed to fostering and supporting a respectful work and learning environment and these modules are one of the tools in place to help us raise awareness on the topic and supports in place for everyone in our community,” adds Darlene Smith, Associate Vice-President (Human Resources) and co-chair of the Sexual Violence Steering Committee.

The course begins with a community values statement expressing the UM’s shared beliefs and covers the following topics:

Policies and Procedures
This module highlights key information about the Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy, the Sexual Violence Policy and the procedures associated with each policy. It also outlines the options available to someone who has experienced sexual violence.

Consent and Power Differentials
This module focuses on the importance of consent in developing and maintaining healthy work and learning relationships. Consent and power differentials are explained in relation to the university’s conflict of interest policy. Several case studies are included that involve common situations that students, staff and faculty members might encounter, along with three potential response options that encourage the viewer to think about the limitations and advantages of each one.

Sexual Violence Myths
Various myths about sexual violence are examined and debunked.

Sexual Violence Resource Centre
This module introduces UM’s Sexual Violence Resource Centre, a survivor-centred resource with a trauma-informed perspective that offers confidential support to students, staff and faculty members who have experienced sexual violence.

The new modules are more inclusive, clearer in content and more engaging. Even if you’ve already watched them, it’s worthwhile to review them again.

Sign in to UM Learn  scroll down to “My Courses” and choose “Sexual Violence Awareness – Fall 2020” to take the online course.