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Topic

Institutional Inquiry: Campus Responses to Gender-Based Violence in British Columbia

Department of Sociology

Date & location

• Friday, October 25, 2024

• 1:00 P.M.

• Cornett Building

• Room A317

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Tamara Humphrey, Department of Sociology, ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø (Supervisor)

• Dr. Katelin Albert, Department of Sociology, UVic (Member) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Audrey Yap, Department of Philosophy, ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Mark Nugent, Department of Greek and Roman Studies, UVic

   

Abstract

Sexual assault is among the most common forms of violence perpetrated against women and gender-diverse people; in Canada, university and college campuses are among the most prevalent sites of this violence (MacKenzie, 2019). Since 2016, campuses in Canada have become increasingly responsible for responding to and preventing gender-based violence, including sexual violence related to their campuses. Responses have come in the form of sexual violence policy and, at some post-secondary institutions, the establishment of designated sexual violence response offices and support staff (Albert & Perry, 2024). This research focuses on the experiences and institutional processes of student survivors who seek institutional support for campus gender-based violence at their post-secondary institution in British Columbia, and the support staff who assist them with these processes. To understand these experiences, data come from eleven qualitative semi-structured interviews, six of which were with survivors who have been through the process of seeking support on campus, and five of which were with individuals in the role of supporting survivors on campus. Interview data are contextualized alongside a consideration of relevant post-secondary policies to facilitate a robust analysis of institutional support processes that both survivors and support staff engage with, and the policies that they are both organized and coordinated by. Findings indicate that campus response is critical for survivors to receive support to continue their education and feel supported by their institution. Experiences also showed that academic accommodations were one of the most helpful resources campuses can provide. Yet, the process of reporting gender-based violence is intertwined with institutional betrayal for both survivors and those who support them. The harm caused through institutional betrayal is upheld by policy documents that tend to state institutional values, often performatively, in the response process rather than outlining the entirety of the process. This leads to confusion, betrayal, and a lack of clarity for survivors, demonstrating a diffusion of responsibility for those seeking to support them. I conclude by highlighting promising practices such as providing less punitive responses when desired by the survivor; moving to a policy framework that centers collective safety not just individual safety; decreasing dismissals of disclosures; and, increasing transparency in the reporting process.