We are all impacted by sexual violence. Whether it be ourselves, our friends, classmates, professors, or other members of the Carleton University community, sexual violence knows no boundaries and transcends all identities in complex and intersecting ways.
Suzanne Blanchard, vice president (students and enrolment), sent out the new Carleton draft Sexual Violence Policy to all members of the Carleton community on Oct. 6. In this email, Blanchard asked students to send in feedback and responses to the draft policy by Oct. 28.
Initially, the draft policy seems to be a comprehensive and progressive sexual violence policy, leaving readers with the impression that this new policy will make Carleton a leader among Canadian universities in the area of campus sexual violence policies. The introduction letter highlighted key progressive sections of the policy by mentioning the terms rape culture, intersectionality, and survivor-centered values. It gives the sense that the administration has finally taken meaningful steps to eliminate sexual violence and encourage consent culture.
However, this impression is a false one. Upon reading all 22 pages of the policy, it is clear that it is nowhere near as progressive as alluded to in the introduction. Through a close reading of the sub-clauses and legal language, the policy reveals itself as one that is, in fact, not good for survivors of sexual violence or any member of the Carleton community.
This is a policy that gives discretion to the president of Carleton to arbitrarily make exceptions to the Sexual Violence Policy with no mechanisms of accountability or transparency.
This is a policy that effectively imposes a “gag order” on complainants by prohibiting them from making public statements during the complaint process—which can last indefinitely.
This is a policy whereby the whole investigative and review committee consists of solely members of Carleton’s administration, rather than neutral independent third-party members.
This is a policy whereby the complaint process is suspended if the respondent ends their relationship with the university (i.e. transfers or drops out).
Finally, this is a policy that does not mention the term rape culture once after providing a definition it in Section 4. There is no mention of rape culture or the need to encourage consent culture within Carleton’s community in any section.
Despite these sections that clearly contradict Carleton’s commitment to providing a safe, healthy, and respectful environment for all members of our community, this draft policy will be presented to Carleton’s Board of Governors (BoG) for approval.
In the email, it was stated that all feedback would be taken into consideration before presenting the final draft of the policy to the BoG. With the deadline looming, more than a dozen clubs have written an open letter in response to the draft. I encourage you to take some time out of your busy schedules to read the policy, write your own response, or add your name to this open letter. This policy matters and impacts all of us. This is your final chance to express your opinion on it.
It is up to us to provide meaningful comments that encourage the Carleton administration to implement a policy that actually creates, maintains, and promotes the values of consent culture and the survivor-centric approach.
Carleton cannot have students who fail to take the time to read the draft Sexual Violence Policy and allow the administration to rubber-stamp a policy that is in fact harmful to survivors of sexual violence and members of the Carleton community as a whole. So please take a moment out of your day to read the policy, if not for yourself, for your fellow Carleton community members who need or will need a truly progressive sexual violence policy on our campus in the future.
