Fredericton Campus Sexual Assault Support & Advocacy

In 2019, the office of CSASA was asked to participate in a nation-wide endeavour to elevate conversations about gender-based violence on post-secondary campuses. Hilary Swan participated as a consultant offering feedback and guidance in the creation of Possibility Seeds' Courage to Act report showcasing a set of 50 recommendations for addressing GBV on campus. Later that year, our office was asked to return as working group partners to establish tools to support the recommen...dations issued in the Courage to Act report. Since that time, we have been working closely with subject matter experts from across Canada to build a framework to support Post-Secondary Institutions in implementing the Courage to Act recommendations. You can read the report and learn more about the project at www.couragetoact.ca. The Courage to Act project is made possible through funding from the Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), Government of Canada. Be on the look out for our tools, webinars, and resources made available through the Courage to Act Website. We will continue to post upcoming content on our Social Media feeds and encourage you to participate in the learning! #genderbasedviolence #campusGBV #GBV awareness #IHavetheCourageToAct #CourageToActPSI #SAPro

In light of the recent discussions of Sexual Violence complaints at Mount Allison University, we want to offer a space where students at UNBF, STU, and NBCCF can drop-in to debrief and support one another. Your CSASA team, Maggie and Hilary, will be present and available to facilitate any conversation that might be productive and healing during this time. Tuesday, November 10th from noon to 1:00pm on Teams, please see link in bio. Drop-ins welcome. If you would like to offer... experiences you've had in dealing with the CSASA team or your administration in regards to sexual assault disclosure and complaints, please fill out our form "Feedback to Institutions" and we can be available for an individual appointment to discuss. Responses will be anonymous unless a meeting is requested. Link in bio. Please contact us for any further information. @unbsu @STU_SU @uwomenscentre @the203centre @nbccfredericton @diversity @mmfcunb @heyitssvnb

"I was scared of what would happen if I said No" "They made me feel like it was too late to say No" "I didn't have a choice"... This year, our campus-wide sexual assault prevention team chose the topic of sexual coercion as the issue to address with our awareness activities. This campaign, called "Beyond the Bare Minimum"; Drawing the line on coercion" focuses on broadening our perspective of what can be experienced as sexual violence. Too often, we judge behaviour by the way that it intersects with the law. We rely on police officers and campus adjudicators to validate the feelings and experiences of someone who has been harmed. Then, we look to judges and juries to tell us whether the act of violence has, in fact, ocurred. What happens when our system fails survivors? What are the steps when a person's harm falls short of what is "illegal"? Too often, we minimize and excuse abusive behaviour. We tell survivors that their experience does not matter or that their abuse was not "severe" enough to warrant the trauma they are facing. Sexual coercion is any type of pressure, manipulation, or threat that is used to obtain sexual interactions. This is abuse. When sexual negotiations involve forcing your partner to consent, you are putting them at risk of feeling harmed. We need to raise the bar. Stop measuring our actions by what is legal, and start caring about the needs of our partners. When [all] partners involved are having their needs met, you can expect more sexual and relational fulfillment. Consent is communication Coercion is manipulation Let's draw the line on pressure, guilt, and threats in sexual negotiation. This coercive behaviour is abuse. Model healthy communication and consent. #sexualassault #sexualcoercion #campussexualassaultservices #sexualassaultcampaign #advocacy #FrederictonCSASA #SVNB #sexualviolenceawareness #gbvawareness #genderbasedviolence @unbsu @STU_SU @uwomenscentre @the203centre @nbccfredericton @diversity @mmfcunb @heyitssvnb

Intimate relationships can be a source of incredible joy, comfort, and love. When all partners are valued and treated with respect, intimacy can bring a sense of belonging as well as empowerment to those involved. However, when trust is broken or a person's safety is threatened, relationships can become a place of grief, uncertainty, and fear. When someone manipulates, pressures, or forces their partner into situations, they are creating an environment where their partner is... no longer freely consenting. As we consider the ways intimate partner violence impacts those of us on campus, it is essential to recognize that almost 1 in 4 incidences of sexual violence disclosed to the office of CSASA occured within casual and serious intimate partnerships. This means that sexual assault happens even when we are with someone we trust. Consent can be given and taken away at any time, so we must be continuously paying attention to our partners. Tips: - Know your partner's signs of distress and fear - Create and respect safe words - Check in to see if they are still having fun - Listen when your partner is making excuses or asking to slow down - Demonstrate your willingness to stop or pace yourself November is Family Violence Prevention Month, let's continue working toward healthy sexual negotiation and respect. @unbsu @stu_su @uwomenscentre @the203centre @mmfc_unb @heyitssvnb @nbccfredericton #sexualassault #sexualcoercion #campussexualassaultservices #sexualassaultcampaign #advocacy #FrederictonCSASA #SVNB #sexualviolenceawareness #gbvawareness #genderbasedviolence #familyviolencepreventionmonth #familyviolence #ipv #intimatepartnerviolence #domesticviolence

In October 2020, the office of CSASA hosted the first conversation of the Deconstructed Panel series called "Beyond the Bare Minimum". We hosted a live lunch and learn event on October 15th at 12:30pm, with Dr. Erin Fredericks, professor of Sociology at STU and Cassidy Wilson, our LGBTQIA2S+ Wellness Coordinator. This event focused on the unique ways sexual coercion and abuse present in 2SLGBTQIAP+ lives to dismantle stereotypes and validate experiences of people in all types of relationships.