Stronger measures will address sexual violence at post-secondary schools

VICTORIA - Government is introducing legislation and an action plan to strengthen support for post-secondary communities in preventing and responding to sexual violence.

"Sexual violence is never acceptable, and it's critical that post-secondary institutions and community members be equipped with the tools, resources, and training needed to prevent and respond to sexual violence effectively and compassionately," said Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. "We are taking meaningful action to foster safe, respectful, and inclusive learning and working environments across post-secondary institutions, so people can feel supported, empowered and protected in their communities."

The proposed sexual-violence policy act will help improve prevention of and responses to sexual violence in the public post-secondary sector. The act will strengthen consultation requirements, increase accountability and transparency in annual reports, reduce barriers for people when making formal allegations of sexual violence and help support institutions to develop policies that are guided by a trauma-informed approach.

B.C. continues to lead nationally in supporting efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence in the post-secondary sector. B.C. was one of the first provinces to pass legislation that requires post-secondary institutions to have a sexual violence policy in place. Since 2017, all public institutions have had sexual violence policies in place.

In recent years, the ministry has received feedback from students, staff, Indigenous partners and community organizations about opportunities to strengthen and improve the current act's provisions and implementation. In response, the ministry undertook a comprehensive review of existing policies and engaged with post-secondary communities and partners to inform the development of new legislation.

The proposed sexual-violence policy act will replace the existing Sexual Violence and Misconduct Policy Act, and close gaps in the current framework and strengthen institutions' responses to sexual violence. This reflects government's priority to create safer communities and ensure the approach to responding to sexual violence in post-secondary communities is trauma informed and survivor centred.

To build on existing efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence, the Province is also releasing a new Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Action Plan with a commitment to 12 actions. Actions 1, 3 and 8 have been completed in recent months. Once fully implemented, the action plan will help create safer post-secondary environments, reduce barriers for survivors seeking support, and strengthen institutions' responses to sexual violence throughout B.C.

"These legislative changes are making a real difference in addressing sexual violence and supporting survivors across our post-secondary communities," said Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity. "This is the work we remain committed to every single day: building safer, more inclusive post-secondary institutions and strengthening the foundation for healthier, more resilient communities in B.C."

The new sexual-violence policy act aligns with and supports the implementation of several actions outlined in the action plan, namely actions 2, 4, 6, 9 and 11. As part of the ongoing work, the ministry will continue to update its annual sexual-violence awareness campaign to reflect sector needs and best practices. Preparations for the 2025-26 campaign are underway, with the launch anticipated in early 2026.

To inform the legislative changes, the ministry engaged extensively with students, faculty, staff, Indigenous partners and community organizations. These partners also validated and provided feedback for the action plan. The ministry will continue to work with its partners to support efforts that address sexual violence and to implement the remaining actions in the action plan.

Learn More:

For the full action plan, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/post-secondary-education/sexual_violence_prevention_action_plan.pdf

For the Province's sexual violence prevention and response initiatives, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safe-campuses-bc/sexualized-violence-prevention-and-response-initiatives

To access resources available in post-secondary institutions, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safe-campuses-bc/help-on-campus

For more information about B.C. legislation, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/legislation

Two backgrounders follow.