New investments in campus safety will help prevent sexual violence at colleges

New Investments in campus safety will prevent sexual violence at colleges

(TORONTO, March 19, 2019) – The Ford government’s announcement of new investments in the Women’s Campus Safety Grant will help strengthen measures at Ontario’s colleges to prevent sexual violence.

“Promoting safe campuses is a top priority at our colleges,” said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “This additional support will enhance our education and training programs and improve the support for survivors of sexual violence.”

The announced funding came as the Ontario government released a summary report of a 2018 survey of college and university students. The survey is a central component in the ongoing effort to improve campus safety.

The survey followed the implementation in 2015 of public policies on sexual violence that were adopted at every Ontario college.

The policies have been supported by a number of programs, including bystander intervention training, self-defence training, and programs on how to help people who have experienced sexual violence.

Strengthening the sexual-violence programs and training is an ongoing effort and the survey results confirm there is more to do. Colleges will work with student leaders, sexual-violence experts, the government and others to implement further measures based on the survey results.

“Any instance of sexual violence on our campuses is one too many,” Franklin said. “It’s essential that we promote campuses that are free from sexual violence.”

 

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For more information:

Amy Dickson
Manager, Media Relations and Communications
Colleges Ontario
(647) 258-7686
dickson@collegesontario.org