Sexual Assault: Discourse & Dialogue 2016

Note: This event has concluded. Check back to equity.ubc.ca after February 22 for a post-event write-up about this event.

In recent weeks concerned faculty members have come together to help UBC move towards positive, timely, and effective action on sexual assault policy.  With the support of Dr. Sara-Jane Finlay, Associate Vice President, Equity and Inclusion and Professor Neil Guppy from the Office of Vice President, Students they will present a two-day event, Sexual Assault: Discourse & Dialogue 2016, on February 15-16, 2016.

The event provides an opportunity for faculty, graduate students and staff to consider various issues raised by sexual assault and sexual assault policy in the university context.

Sexual Assault: Discourse & Dialogue 2016
Two day event including a research forum to share UBC expertise in the area, a keynote from Professor Jennifer Freyd (University of Oregon), and facilitated discussions.

Faculty members Carrie Ichikawa Jenkins and Alan Richardson from the Department of Philosophy encourage all faculty, graduate students and staff to participate in this event.

Scroll down page to see agenda.

Date and time: Monday, February 15, 9am-3pm and Tuesday, February 16, 8:30am-4pm
Location: UBC Vancouver, Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS)
BC Hydro Theatre
2260 West Mall, Room 2331
Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4
UBC map

Agenda:

Day One: February 15th – Discourse

9.00 Breakfast and networking
9.30 Welcome – Carrie Ichikawa Jenkins, Professor, Department of Philosophy
9.35 Musqueam acknowledgement
9.45 Small group introductions and format for the day
10.00 Sharing our research
Presenters: Tal Nitsan – “From Fieldwork to Homework”, Scott Andersen, Jonathan Ichikawa
12.00 Making connections
12.05
  • Sexual Assault Support Centre – Ashley Bentley
12.30 Lunch
1.00 Discussing Ideas
Presenters: Juliet O’Brien (via Skype), Brandy Wiebe
2.00 Community resources

  • Student Development Services – Sexual Assault Intervention and Prevention Education: Developing UBC’s Three Year Plan
    Janet Mee, Director, Access & Diversity and C.J. Rowe, Diversity Advisor, Student Development and Services
  • Sara-Jane Finlay, Associate Vice President, Equity and Inclusion will discuss the findings of the Paula Butler report. Read executive summary report.
2.30 Coffee
2.40 Recommendations and next steps for Day 2

Day Two: February 16th – Dialogue

8.30 Breakfast and networking
9.00

j-freyd-2013-bKeynote:

Professor Jennifer Freyd, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon

Addressing Sexual Assault: Moving from Institutional Betrayal to Institutional Courage

For over 20 years my students and I have investigated the impact of betrayal trauma (such as abuse perpetrated by a trusted other) on victims, discovering in the process that interpersonal betrayal is particularly toxic to individuals.   More recently we have conducted empirical research on the impact institutional betrayal has on individuals within institutions, with a focus on institutional response to military and campus sexual assault. Both our laboratory and campus research indicates that institutional betrayal can exacerbate the harm of sexual trauma.  For instance, sexually-assaulted students who were treated poorly by their institutions show significantly greater levels of dissociation, anxiety, and other trauma-specific symptoms. We have found heightened effects for LGBT-identified students compared to heterosexual students and we have also uncovered some of the specific mechanisms by which universities currently fail to prevent sexual assault and cause additional harm to victims. Our research reveals areas of institutional policy and practice that could and should be targeted for improvement so that we can move from institutional betrayal to institutional courage.

10.00 Questions & discussion
10.30 Coffee
10.45
  1. Survivors’ Experience After Assault and Disclosure – Facilitator: Ashley Bentley
  2. Policy (Rights, fairness and transparency – Facilitator: Shirley Nakata
  3. Process (Community Inclusion – Facilitator: JP Catungal
  4. Policy and Culture Change (what does a culture of respect look like?) – Facilitator: Jude Tate
  5. Resources – Facilitator: Rachael Sullivan
  6. Education – Facilitation: Janet Mee
  7. Process (structure and organization, development) – Facilitator: Frances ChandlerRecommendations from these discussions will inform the creation of a sexual assault policy and long-term action plan for the University.
12.00 Reporting back
12.30 Lunch and networking
1.30
  1. Survivors’ Experience After Assault and Disclosure – Facilitator: Ashley Bentley
  2. Policy (Rights, fairness and transparency – Facilitator: Shirley Nakata
  3. Process (Community Inclusion – Facilitator: JP Catungal
  4. Policy and Culture Change (what does a culture of respect look like?) – Facilitator: Jude Tate
  5. Resources – Facilitator: Rachael Sullivan
  6. Education – Facilitation: Janet Mee
  7. Process (structure and organization, development) – Facilitator: Frances Chandler

Recommendations from these discussions will inform the creation of a sexual assault policy and long-term action plan for the University.

2.30 Reporting back
3.00 Recommendations and next steps
4.00 Close

 

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