Issues with sexual assault reporting at Canadian universities: Editorial
October 6, 2021
In a recent article from Maclean’s, Emily Baron Cadloff discusses the way that sexual assault is dealt with at Canadian university. Cadloff says that a 2020 Statistics Canada study found that three-quarters of students “witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours,” but institutions often prohibit sharing information about perpetrators and are unclear about what happens after a victim files a report. The author says there is inconsistency in the data collected by postsecondary institutions across Canada, which raises questions about transparency and how schools can evaluate their progress. While some institutions, such as Mount Allison University and Western University collect data on sexual violence, some students may still be uncomfortable reporting incidents. Cadloff says that many schools are reviewing their sexual violence policies and streamlining procedures, but “few have committed to aggregating data and publicizing it.” Maclean’s (National)
