Giving Support
Our Sexualized Violence Response and Education Coordinator (SVREC) provides support for all members of the Acadia community who have been affected by sexualized violence. The SVREC can provide training and guidance for those interested in supporting survivors of sexualized violence..
Ways to Intervene
When you’re not sure if something is wrong:
What if you're with a friend or in a public situation and you're not sure if someone is being abused? Gather information by asking questions. Check in and follow up with the potential victim. For example, if you see someone being treated in a way that makes you suspicious at a party, check in with that person later in the evening and make sure they're doing OK.
When you know something problematic is happening or could happen soon:
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Cause a distraction
Can you draw the potential abuser's attention to something else, or send someone they know over to start a conversation with them? Can you pull the victim aside by asking them to help you clean something up, help you fix your makeup, hang out in a different room, etc.?
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Physical presence
Sometimes just being near a potential victim is enough to stop abuse: it'll make it a public situation. Try to have conversations with the victim and keep hanging out with them.
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Calling out
If you can do it safely, call the perpetrator out on their behaviour.
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Asking/demanding that the perpetrator leave
If someone is being abusive, tell them they've got to go. Try to ask first. Depending on the situation, consider getting someone like a bouncer, campus security officer, etc. to ask the perpetrator to leave.
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Supporting a vulnerable person
Be kind.
How to help someone who has been sexually assaulted
Someone has just told you she/he/they have been sexually assaulted. What can you do?
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Believe them
Listen without judgement. You may be the first and only person the victim will tell. Remind them it's not their fault. Belief is a powerful tool and is often the first step in the positive healing of a sexual assault survivor. Survivors who get a positive response when they tell someone are more likely to get the help they need. -
Make sure they're safe
Ask if you can contact police or campus Safety & Security if there is an imminent safety issue. Offer to be a support person if the victim decides to go to the police or to another support group. -
Respect choices and value boundaries
Don't push for additional details. You can encourage talking, but do not pressure the victim to talk. Focus on listening. Do not "take over": offer suggestions but let the victim make decisions. -
Respect confidentiality
Ensure they understand how and when you will share information they have provided to you. -
Ask what support looks like for them
Let go of assumptions. Reporting the incident is not every survivor's choice or version of justice. -
Empathize
Understand everyone deals differently with trauma and everyone's healing process is not the same.
Learn more about how to help a friend at Break the Silence.
Education and Training
- Waves of Change: Creating Campus Response to Sexual Violence is an education program that takes a bystander approach, meaning that the trainings are centered around the idea that everyone has a role to play in ending sexual violence. This program is specific to Nova Scotia campuses and includes up to five modules delivered by trained facilitators. To become a by-stander facilitator, or to book a session for your team or group, please contact counselling@acadiau.ca
- Breaking the Silence: A Coordinated Response to Sexual Violence in Nova Scotia is a program based on six training modules
Quickly Leave Site
Sexualized Violence Policy
Sexualized Violence
Response Protocol
svrec@acadiau.ca
Messages responded to Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm
