New report, recommendations aim to end sexual assault, violence at U of R

The University of Regina has taken more steps to improve its effort to help stop sexual assault and violence, while making the campus a national leader in personal safety.

The Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Needs Assessment Report was released Thursday. The report follows a campus-wide survey conducted near the end of 2016 and includes a list of nine major recommendations.

One of those calls for the creation of a new administrative position for somebody to direct and oversee GBV strategies. That position will be filled by Roz Kelsey, who’s currently a professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies.

“When we make this a priority it’s when change starts to happen,” she said.

Other recommendations focus on improved prevention, victim reporting and response.

“We’ve been working hard on this but things are going to happen to our students still, and so we can do as much as we can to educate and prevent but then we also have to build that safety net when something happens and it will happen,” said University of Regina President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Vianne Timmons.

She said that kind of behaviour exists on campus and believes it’s under-reported. Timmons said it’s time to stand up and say this is not acceptable, it’s not locker room talk and it’s not going to happen without consequences.

“What we have to do is keep saying it is OK to report it and when you report it we’re going to surround you with support. We have to continually tell our young men and women that over and over again.”

Timmons said the U of R was one of the first campuses to have put in a policy on sexual assault and violence. Her vision is to provide students, faculty and staff with a safe and inclusive environment.