Our approach
When working with the SVRO, you can expect the support and services you receive to be:
Trauma-informed
Trauma-informed means "incorporating an understanding of the impact that trauma, including Sexualized Violence, has on a person’s life, to minimize re-victimization, and support recovery and empowerment.”
At the SVRO, we use trauma-informed approaches in everything we do. This includes creating a welcoming office environment, coordinating services, and making warm referrals for anyone who needs help on or off campus.
Our workshops also use a trauma-informed approach. We recognize that survivors may be present and provide options for people to participate safely and get support if needed.
Person or Survivor-centered
Survivor-centered means "prioritizing the safety and choices of Survivors. Survivor-centred means to treat Survivors with dignity and respect rather than blame, hostility, or suspicion and to respect their rights, interests and agency by allowing them to make decisions about whether to file a report and the extent of their participation.”
Person-centered means tailoring the conversation and the support to meet each person’s needs. At the SVRO, this could include referring someone to resources that match their identity or adjusting procedures for people who are neurodivergent.
Harm reduction
Harm reduction focuses on self-determination and bodily autonomy. It aims to reduce harm from activities that are often stigmatized, like substance use, self-injury, or sex work. This approach gives non-judgmental resources and support, helps reduce risk, and expands choices. It also recognizes that people are experts in their own lives and know the safest ways to care for themselves.
Human rights principles
The Sexualized Violence Prevention and Response Policy recognizes that “Sexualized Violence is a human rights violation and accordingly the principles and approaches to address Sexualized Violence must be linked to the University’s broader equity and anti-discrimination initiatives and goals.” The SVRO is in the EQHR department to ensure this commitment to human rights is central to sexualized violence education and response on campus.
A human rights approach acknowledges that everyone on campus should be able to learn, work and live in an environment free of sexualized violence. To support this, the SVRO engages in sexualized violence education, prevention and awareness building activities and encourages all campus community members to contribute towards building a culture of consent, dignity and diversity.
Anti-oppressive
Anti-oppression recognizes that social systems can disempower and marginalize some groups while giving power to others. An anti-oppressive approach recognizes that different forms of oppression are connected, works to reduce oppression, and supports equity.
The SVPR Policy ensures that SVRO education and training are based on anti-oppressive principles.
The EQHR department also manages the Discrimination and Harassment Prevention and Response Policy. Housing both policies together shows that many acts of violence involve more than one form of oppression. This allows EQHR to respond in a coordinated way that considers intersecting forms of discrimination.
Intersectional
Intersectional refers to “the ways in which a person’s experiences are shaped by the interaction of different social positions (for example, sex, sexual identity, gender identity or expression, Indigeneity, racial or ethnic background, ability, faith, socioeconomic status, migration status, and age). These interactions are rooted in interconnecting systems and structures of power and produce intersecting forms of privilege and oppression shaped by colonialism, racism, homophobia, ableism, patriarchy, transphobia, queer antagonism, trans antagonism, bi antagonism, and/or any other form of discrimination.”
Our approach is grounded in an understanding that each person’s experience of sexualized violence is different based on their unique social locations and services therefore need to be adjusted accordingly.