As part of Queen’s ongoing commitment to promoting an environment in which sexual violence is not tolerated, the university is reviewing its Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students with a focus on formal reporting processes and procedures.

The policy is scheduled for regular review in 2023, and this review process is expected to be completed before the start of the 2023-24 year.

The review is being co-led by Stephanie Simpson, Associate Vice-Principal (Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion) and Ann Tierney, Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs, co-chairs of the university’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Task Force (SVPRTF).

The task force, comprising students, staff, faculty, and community, will play an important role in the review, as it has historically been involved in providing input and insight in policy development and supports to students, as well as training programs, awareness and education resources related to sexual violence prevention and response.

The Canadian Centre for Legal Innovation in Sexual Assault Response (CCLISAR), a charitable, non-partisan group with academic and professional expertise in legal responses to sexualized violence, has been engaged by the co-leads to conduct the review. CCLISAR has worked with several Canadian universities on their policies, and will help ensure Queen’s policy and related procedures align with evolving best practices.

Consultations will take place this fall, and it is expected the university will receive a report in February that will include any recommended revisions and updates to the policy. The task force will then help determine the revisions or updates to the policy that will go through the university’s policy review process in the winter term. This process also includes a campus consultation.

Invitation for comment

As part of the review process this fall, students, staff, faculty, and broader community members are invited to provide written input and comment on the policy and its procedures.

Emails can be sent to irp@cclisar.ca

All submissions go directly to CCLISAR. Comments will be confidential and if referenced in the report, they will be anonymized.

Learn more about the review

This week is Consent Awareness Week.

Events are running across campus aimed at sparking dialogue about consent, sex and sexuality in the post-secondary setting and beyond. Activities are designed to provide safe spaces for discussion and a variety of learning opportunities.

Learn more on the Consent Awareness Week at Queen’s webpage.