Trent Welcomes Results of Student Voices on Sexual Violence Survey

February 27, 2020

Trent University welcomes the release of more detailed results tables from the 2018 provincial Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey, and the insights it provides about this important issue in our society. The summary results were released in March 2019, and have been made available on our website on the tool bar on your right. The new results feature tables of sector demographics and institutional question responses, these are available at the Ontartio Universities Website. 

“Our students’ participation in this survey was important,” said Dr. Leo Groarke, president and vice-chancellor of Trent University. “We promoted the survey widely to make sure that we had as many participants as possible. The information the report provides will help us as we continue to develop the University’s prevention and response programming. Collectively, we need to take the problem of sexual violence seriously, and address the issues it raises for universities and society as a whole.”

The additional data tables confirm for Trent, and the Ontario postsecondary sector, demographic groups that are more vulnerable to sexual violence, as well as circumstances and situations in which sexual violence is more likely to occur. Trent is solidly behind the Council of Ontario Universities’ ten-point plan in addressing sexual violence as a priority.

“This type of data result sheds light on sexual violence as a broader public issue at the same time as it guides us in refining our prevention programming at Trent, building partnerships with community groups, and continuing to align our response supports with the needs of our community,” said Nona Robinson, associate vice-president students. “For example, the data results prompt us to further develop our programming in bystander intervention education for online activities, as well as increasing our community prevention outreach with local partners such as clubs or bars.”

Trent University is committed to prevention education and survivor supports. The survey results are an opportunity to raise awareness of the seriousness of this issue, and to further bring together the considerable strengths of our campus community, university and outside resources to address the pervasive societal problem of sexual violence.

Trent has a range of programming and sexual violence prevention initiatives including:

• working with students before they arrive on campus through summer programming for students and their families to provide information about consent and bystander education as required parts of New Student Orientation
• partnering with our student associations and community agencies to promote consent education throughout the year
• sexual violence prevention and response training is provided to student peer support staff such as residence dons.
• sexual assault response training in a recent faculty and staff student support certificate program  

Trent also works to support those who have experienced sexual harassment, stalking or sexual violence. Trent University’s Sexual Violence Policy is posted on our website, which provides extensive information for survivors and their supporters about reporting options, accommodations, and resources.

If you, or someone you know, have experienced sexual violence, there are supports available to you regardless of whether you choose to formally report or not. We have a complainant-driven process, which is intended to support and empower survivors in making the choices that are right for them.

We call on our entire community to engage in sexual violence prevention, and to support anyone experiencing sexual harassment, stalking or sexual violence.