Queen’s has made changes to its sexual violence policy to align with provincial legislation. Members of the Queen’s and broader communities are encouraged to provide feedback on the revised policy before Nov. 23. 

“The university takes the issue of sexual violence very seriously, and a considerable amount of work has gone into updating the policy and ensuring it meets the requirements set out in the legislation and accompanying regulations,” says Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic) Benoit-Antoine Bacon. “This is critical work that will provide all members of the Queen’s community with a clear, detailed policy and reiterate our commitment to maintaining a positive learning and living environment in which any form of sexual violence will not be tolerated.”

The development of both the original policy and the updated draft involved extensive consultation with campus stakeholders. Student involvement has been considerable, and has included student representatives on both the sexual violence prevention and response working group and the implementation team on prevention and response to sexual violence.

Queen’s current policy on sexual violence was approved by the Board of Trustees in March. The policy outlines the options that are available to anyone who has witnessed or experienced sexual violence and the university’s responsibilities relating to awareness, education, training, and reporting. The updated policy includes the same elements, incorporates details about the policies and procedures to be followed in a variety of situations, and outlines the distinction between disclosure and reporting, confidentiality requirements, and the assessment and investigation process, meeting the content requirements set out in Bill 132 and Regulation 131/16.

The draft policy is posted on the Queen’s Secretariat and Legal Counsel website. Comments are invited to be sent to policies@queensu.ca by Wednesday, Nov. 23.

A presentation outlining the changes made to align with provincial legislation will be part of an information session about the policy that is scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 22, 6–7:30 p.m. in Career Services, 3rd floor, Gordon Hall. All are welcome. Go to the Queen’s Events Calendar for more details.

For more information about on- and off-campus support and resources related to sexual violence, visit the Student Affairs website.