About 400 people gathered at Mount Allison University on Nov. 12 to raise awareness about sexual assault on campus and protest the lack of support provided by the school for survivors.
The university has since apologized for its lack of support for survivors of sexual assault.
The school then announced a plan to tackle sexual violence on campus, including increasing resources for prevention and recovery, making changes to counselling services, establishing a sexual violence prevention group, and assesing the university’s policy for sexual violence.
Michelle Roy is a fifth-year history major at Mount Allison.
In November, Roy took to Instagram to share her personal experience of sexual harassment on Mount Allison’s campus—an experience she felt was quickly dismissed by the university.
In response to her experience, Roy said members of Mount Allison’s administration gaslighted and dismissed her when she came forward.
The posts quickly gained traction, reaching close to 20,000 people and connecting Roy with other survivors who shared similar experiences at Mount Allison.
“When I made my post, I didn’t think it was as big of an issue as it obviously proved itself to be,” Roy said. “I think it was empowering, but also a wake-up call for everybody on campus.”
Molly Hamilton, a recent Mount Allison graduate, is a survivor of sexual violence on campus during her first year. But like Roy, Hamilton said she felt she was quickly dismissed by her university.
“I think an important part of healing and recovering is having your experience validated and acknowledged, because it’s such a lonely experience and everyone experiences it differently,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton wrote a letter to the university outlining researched recommendations for addressing sexual harassment on campus, which has since received 480 student signatures.
“Even if you haven’t assaulted someone, if you’re not speaking out against the person who did … then I think you’re playing a role in it,” Hamilton said. “You have a responsibility to stand up and make everyone feel safe.”
Crossroads for Women is a shelter for women survivors of violence in New Brunswick which has partnered with Mount Allison since the protest to support survivors of sexual violence with counselling.
“Our role is to be there for the students,” said Tammy Daigle, the shelter’s associate director. “Our role is looking forwards, not backwards, so we’re there to support the students [and] the faculty team if they need our support.”
Daigle said Crossroads for Women will ensure survivors are not alone in recovery, whether they wish to bring an incident to the university or RCMP, or reach out to a counselor.
Laura Ripley, the university’s media relations officer, said in an email to the Charlatan that the university president’s cabinet “is focusing on reaching out to and listening to our students to develop and discuss changes in the immediate and longer term.”
“I think an apology was needed but I would like to see more accountability on their end,” Roy said. “I think they’re saying, ‘sorry we failed you,’ but they’re not saying, ‘sorry we put you in this position and caused you harm.’”
Following in Roy’s steps, students at the University of New Brunswick held a protest supporting sexual violence survivors on campus just days after Mount Allison’s protest.
“I think this is an important opportunity for the university to really do something and I look forward to seeing what they do,” Hamilton said. “I think we’ve had enough words. Now we need action.”
Featured Image: Provided via Mount Allison.
