Sexual assault and gendered violence
This academic year began with the launch of Mcgill’s chapter of Silence is Violence (SIV). Si is a nationwide organization that combats the pressure to remain silent placed on individuals who have experienced sexual assault. Mcgill’s chapter was founded partly in response to growing frustrations regarding the university’s failure to adopt a sexual assault policy.
A couple weeks after SIV launched at Mcgill, the university released its Draft Policy against Sexual Assault (DPSV). The DPSV was drafted by Associate Provost Angela Campbell, following the university’s withdrawal of support for the Sexual Assault Policy (SAP), an earlier policy drafted by an unpaid student-led group. The DPSV outlines educational initiatives, such as on-campus informational campaigns and training sessions. It requires staff to inform individuals who have experienced sexual assault of appropriate health and counselling services. Additionally the draft policy outlines immediate steps the university could take following a report of sexual assault in order to protect the safety and security of the survivor. The DPSV requires that physical office space be dedicated and qualified staff be hired to handle this issue.
During Consent Week, concerns were raised that the DPSV focuses too much on support for survivors and fails to adequately address how the university will punish perpetrators. Additionally, Consent Week addressed abuses of power within the university that have led to sexual harassment and assault. The Student Society of Mcgill University (SSMU) VP University Affairs Erin Sobat emphasized that the language of the DPSV does not recognize that these abuses of power take place on campus.
The participation of SSMU Council in this debate about the SVP is deeply troubling given the resignation of SSMU VP External David Aird on February 22. Aird resigned amid allegations of sexual assault which were made public by the Community Disclosure Network (CDN). CDN released a statement containing testimonies of Aird’s history of sexual assault. It surfaced that two groups in which Aird held leadership positions, Jeunes néodémocrates du Québec (JNDQ), the youth wing of the New Democratic Party (NDP), and Mcgill Against Austerity, had received information about these allegations earlier in the year. These groups were unable to implement punitive measures against Aird because the individuals disclosing the information chose to remain anonymous. CDN revealed that SSMU had also received information concerning Aird’s behavior in Fall 2016 and responded by establishing weekly conversations about consent education, called “check-ins,” between Aird and SSMU President Ben Ger.
The SSMU executives were criticized following Aird’s resignation for inaction after learning of his predatory behavior. Ger resigned on March 9, recognizing the inappropriate way he addressed the situation. It later came out that Ger had reportedly committed gendered violence. This demonstrates a pattern of perpetrators of sexual assault exploiting positions of power for harm. CDN demanded that SSMU apologize to the individuals who came forward, and adopt its own stand-alone Sexual Assault Policy that goes beyond informal meetings among SSMU executives. At this moment it is unclear whether SSMU will adopt its own SAP or if the University will step in to prevent further internal policing by SSMU execs.