Officials at StFX say they’re very pleased with a recent report from provincial officials aimed at preventing sexual violence on university campuses.
Margie McKinnon, Director of Health, Counselling and Accessible Learning, says she’s on the committee and has been involved in developing the ten recommendations; they include, the delivery of consent education, training for response to sexual violence disclosures and the development of a bystander education program.
McKinnon tells The Hawk StFX is one step ahead on part of the demands.
“We’re already delivering education on consent with our students- for the last three years, when new students arrive in September, the first weekend they arrive- we include an education session on sexual violence prevention.”
McKinnon says they have about fifty facilitators for their bystander program; they launched their policy last October.
She says that program has impacted hundreds of students this year.
“In our bringing in the bystander program, there’s education on consent in that,” she says. “We’ve delivered that program to several hundred students on campus.”
McKinnon says they’ll continue doing what they have been, and expand on their education moving forward.
Two members of the X-Men football team were charged following a sexual assault investigation on campus in November.