A social media post featuring grad photos of student Michelle Roy, which call out Mount Allison’s practices around handling sexual assault on campus, has ignited an online and on-campus movement.
Approximately 400 people attended a protest in front of the Wallace McCain Centre on Thursday, Nov. 12 to demonstrate concern for said practices and show support to survivors.
Over 300 stories of on-campus sexual violence have been published on social media, which include experiences of university services and staff mishandling cases of assault or harassment.
CHMA reached out to local support counsellor, Joanna Perkin, to discuss how one can support a survivor of sexual violence and how survivors may care for themselves while the topic is in the spotlight.
Perkin is a woman’s support counsellor for Autumn House in Amherst, and mainly works with women who have experienced intimate partner violence, but also many survivors of sexual assault.
Perkin is not speaking on behalf of or representing Autumn House in this interview.
She advises that untrained individuals have the potential to inadvertently cause harm to survivors of sexual violence, and offers advice to survivors and their loved ones in the following interview:
President of Mount Allison Jean Paul Boudreau sent an email with initial steps being taken by the university to address concerns of sexual violence on campus.
Steps outlined in the email include:
- Increase resources to support sexual violence prevention and response strategies,
- Implement a number of immediate changes to sexual assault intake and counselling services,
- Establish a Sexual Violence Prevention Working Group at Mount Allison, and
- Initiate a comprehensive, third-party review of Mount Allison’s sexual violence prevention model, resources, policies, and procedures.
Perkin recommends the following local support services for survivors:
Autumn House (Amherst, NS), Women’s shelter with outreach services. Available 24/7 at 902-667-1200
CHIMO Helpline, available 24/7 at 1-800-667-5005.
Colchester Sexual Assault Centre (Truro, NS), Can be reached at 902-897-4366, Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
The Moncton Hospital (Moncton, NB), SANE [Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner] nurse available in the emergency room. Request to see a SANE nurse upon arrival. No other explanation is required.
South East Sexual Assault Crisis Centre (Moncton, NB) available 24/7 at 1-844-853-0811.
Support lines for queer people in the area are:
LGBTQ2+ Youth Line, 1-800-268-9688.
Trans Lifeline, toll-free, 1-877-330-6366.