A six-figure grant from the Ontario Women's Directorate will help Western University fund a new program that hopes to prevent sexual assault on campus.
The grant, which totals $381,000, will go toward a project called "Building and Upstander Culture to Prevent Sexual Violence at Ontario Post-Secondary Institutions." According to a release from the university, the program's goal is to "build knowledge, skills, attitudes and awareness of sexual violence among all members of campus communities."
“This program will help institutions be better equipped to prevent and respond to issues of sexual violence on campus,” says Jana Luker, Associate Vice-President (Student Experience) at Western. “A major part our success will be our ability to influence a cultural change and a healthy recognition of egalitarian gender roles, gender equality, healthy relationships and sexuality.”
Last week, the Ontario government introduced legislation targeting sexual assault in the workplace, communities, and on campus. It would require every publicly assisted college and university and private career college to have a stand-alone sexual violence policy and to review it, with student involvement, at least once every three years
“This funding addresses a high-priority need at campuses across Ontario and all the partners look forward to working with the Ontario Women’s Directorate and bringing this project to fruition,” says Luker.
