It’s Never Okay: An Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment
The Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment), 2016, introduced a signature component; “introduce legislation to strengthen provisions related to sexual violence and harassment in the workplace, on campus, in housing, and through the civil claim process.”
Attending one of Ontario’s public colleges, universities, or private career colleges should be a time of personal fulfillment, growth, and opportunity. NASIT College is committed to helping students learn, study, and experience campus life at its finest, free from sexual violence and harassment.
Sexual violence is about power and control, not sexual desire. It is an act of aggression against another person. It is never the survivor’s fault. It is never okay.
Sexual Violence means any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity and gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without the person’s consent, and includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism, cyber harassment and sexual exploitation.
Sexual Assault is a crime under the Criminal Code of Canada. It is any assault of a sexual nature that violates a person’s sexual integrity.
Sexual Harassment is a form of discrimination. It involves unwanted behaviour that intimidates or causes another person offence or humiliation. It can cause severe anxiety, shame and fear. Cyber-harassment is having an especially devastating impact on young people.
Rape Culture is a culture in which dominant ideas, social practices, media images and societal institutions implicitly or explicitly condone sexual assault by normalizing or trivializing male sexual violence and by blaming survivors for their own abuse.
This policy applies to staff and students of NASIT CollegeHowever, this policy also applies to anyone entering the workplace or learning environment (in the instructor led classroom on the campus and in the face-to-face virtual classroom) such as visitors, clients, delivery persons, volunteers, etc.
Everyone is expected to uphold this policy and to work together to prevent sexual violence.
Terminology
In this Policy, an individual who identifies their experience as sexual violence shall be referred to as a Victim /Survivor, and an individual against whom an allegation of sexual violence has been made shall be referred to as a Respondent. Futures Career Collegerespects the right of the individual to identify with their preferred terminology. An individual does not need to identify with the terminology “Victim /Survivor” to be represented by this policy.
Support
Futures Career College recognizes that sexual violence can have serious and lasting impacts on the physical, mental, and emotional welfare of individuals who are affected by Sexual Violence. Futures Career College will ensure that the Victim/Survivor is informed about on and off-campus resources and support and will respect the right of a Victim/Survivor to decide whether or not to access available services and to choose those services the Victim/Survivor feels will be most beneficial.
Education
NASIT College will ensure awareness of this policy and resources are available for staff and students to discuss issues of consent, drug and alcohol use, sexual harassment and cyber harassment and will ensure that these initiatives are broadly communicated.
Accountability
Anyone who commits an act of sexual violence will be held accountable in a manner that best recognizes the dignity and needs of the Victim/Survivor, the health and safety of staff and students of the NASIT College.
Diversity
NASIT College understands that each individual’s experience of sexual violence, including the level of risk they face and how they access services and supports, is unique and can be based on, or influenced by, the intersection of sexual violence with discrimination and harassment including, but not limited to sex, ancestry, race, ethnicity, culture, language, ability, faith, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
Consent
NASIT College recognizes consent as the voluntary agreement of an individual to engage in a sexual act. Consent is direct, active and ongoing, and can be revoked at any time. Consenting to one kind of sexual act does not mean that consent is given for another sexual act or kind of activity. Consent is NOT obtained where a person is incapable of consenting – for example by intoxication, or where a person is induced to engage in the activity by someone abusing a position of trust, power or authority.
Confidentiality
NASIT College will treat disclosures and reports of incidents of sexual violence in a confidential manner and in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Sharing of information will be limited to those who have a need to know the information for the purposes of implementing this Policy, including providing accommodation and interim measures, and the investigation and decision-making processes.
Confidentiality cannot be maintained where information needs to be disclosed in order to address a risk to the health and safety of staff or students or where required by law.
Where the Victim/Survivor wishes to begin a process that could result in a sanction being imposed on a staff or student, the name of the Victim /Survivor and the material allegations being made will be disclosed to that person as part of that process.
Obtaining Support and Resources
Management will investigate and deal with all concerns, complaints, or incidents of violence in a fair and timely manner while respecting staff and student privacy as much as possible. Feedback will be provided.
The policy is implemented and maintained for staff and students through the orientation to the Futures Career College Campus.
All staff and students will have the appropriate information and instruction to protect them from violence in the Workplace/Learning Environment(in the instructor led classroom on the campus and in the face-to-face virtual classroom).
Making a Report
A report is the sharing of information concerning an incident of sexual violence by a Victim/Survivor with the intention of initiating a formal process.
A disclosure is the sharing of information by a Victim/Survivor concerning an incident of sexual violence. A disclosure may or may not be for the purpose of accessing supports, services and / or accommodations.
A disclosure can be made to any University staff of NASIT College. A disclosure may relate to a respondent who is or is not at NASIT College.
Upon receiving a disclosure of sexual violence, NASIT College has a responsibility to ensure that an individual affected by sexual violence, is informed of this Policy.
Where the Respondent is not a student or staff of NASIT College, the matter shall be referred to the Police who will determine any required action necessary (such as a trespass order).
Responding to a Report
The Victim/Survivor will be contacted when the report is received to discuss the appropriate formal process as well as any need for interim measures and/or safety planning.
Anonymous Reports
Although reports may be made anonymously, the ability to respond may be limited by the information available.
Investigations
An investigation is a formal process undertaken in response to a report of an incident of sexual violence. The nature of the investigation will depend on the nature of the allegations and the wishes of the Victim/Survivor.
NASIT College will investigate all reports of sexual violence where the Victim/Survivor requests an investigation or where the allegations give rise to a reasonable concern for the health and safety of other members of the University community.
The Victim/Survivor may choose not to participate in any investigation. Should the Victim/Survivor choose not to participate, the Victim/Survivor will be advised that this may affect the nature of the investigation and the ability of NASIT College to respond to the report.
Interim Measures
Interim measures must balance the need to support the Victim/Survivor and the rights of the Respondent. Interim measures that may have a substantial impact on the educational opportunities of another student or staff (e.g. interim suspension or trespass from campus) should be limited in time and scope to those situations in which they are deemed reasonably necessary to protect the health and safety of staff or students.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Sexual Violence can constitute an emergency. Where there is an immediate need for assistance 911 will be called.
Protection from Retaliation
NASIT College will take appropriate steps to protect a person reporting an incident of sexual violence from retaliation. This may include, but is not limited to: advising individuals in writing of their duty to refrain from committing an act of reprisal, sanctioning individuals for a breach of that duty, enforcing non-contact arrangements or excluding an individual from campus. NASIT Collegemay also address the potential for reprisals by providing an accommodation appropriate in the circumstances. Threats of or acts of retaliation will be treated as incidents of sexual violence.
Staff and students are encouraged to report any incidents of sexual violence or raise concerns. Call or Email the Campus Administrator:
Maria Onilla
905-412-3007
Info@futurescollege.ca
Signed: ________________________ Owner Date: _______________
The Sexual Violence Policy should be consulted whenever there are concerns about sexual violence in the workplace.
HARRASSMENT POLICY
The management of Futures Academy of Health Care Incorporated is committed to providing a learning environment free of harassment and violence. All students are valued and are to be treated fairly and with respect. Staff or students found to have harassed someone in the workplace may be subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including firing or expulsion from our school.
Workplace/Place of Learning harassment will not be tolerated from any person. Everyone must be dedicated to preventing harassment.
Staff and students are expected to uphold this policy, and will be held accountable.
Workplace harassment means engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace — a comment or conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome.
Harassment may also relate to a form of discrimination as set out in the Ontario Human Rights Code.
This policy is not intended to limit or constrain the reasonable interactions between staff and/or students. For example students not adhering to other policies of NASIT College will have those issues dealt with directly.
Staff and students are encouraged to report any incidents of workplace harassment.
Call or Email the Campus Administrator:
Name
Number
info@nasitcollege.ca
The reporting of an incident holds no negative consequences if made in good faith.
Management will investigate and deal with all concerns, complaints, or incidents of workplace harassment in a fair and timely manner while respecting staff and student privacy as much as possible. Feedback will be provided.
As NASIT College supports and believes in the Ontario Human Rights Code, nothing in this policy prevents or discourages staff and/or students from filing an application with the Human Rights Tribunal on a matter related to Ontario’s Human Rights Code within one year of the last alleged incident. A student or staff member also retains the right to exercise any other legal avenues that may be available.
Signed: ________________________ Owner Date: _______________
The Harassment Policy should be consulted whenever there are concerns about harassment in the workplace.
VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE/LEARNING ENVIRONMENT POLICY
The management of NASIT College is committed to the prevention of workplace/learning environment violence and is ultimately responsible for the health and safety of staff and students. We will take whatever steps are reasonable to protect our staff and students from workplace violence from all sources.
Workplace/Learning Environment Violence can include but is not limited to:
- Physical force that causes or could cause injury
- The attempt to use physical force that causes or could cause injury
- A statement or behavior that reasonably suggests or can be interpreted as threatening to use physical force that causes or could cause injury
Violent behaviour is unacceptable from anyone. This policy applies to staff and students of NASIT College However, this policy also applies to anyone entering the workplace or learning environment such as visitors, clients, delivery persons, volunteers, etc.
Everyone is expected to uphold this policy and to work together to prevent workplace violence.
Measures and procedures exist to protect staff and student from workplace/learning environment.
Examples of these measures include:
- Main entrance is kept locked
- Visitors are by appointment only
Immediate assistance will be summoned when required.
Staff and students are encouraged to report any incidents of Workplace/Learning Environment violence or raise concerns.
Call or Email the Campus Administrator:
Name
Number
info@nasitcollege.ca
The reporting of an incident holds no negative consequences if made in good faith.
Management will investigate and deal with all concerns, complaints, or incidents of violence in a fair and timely manner while respecting staff and student privacy as much as possible. Feedback will be provided.
The policy is implemented and maintained for staff and students through the orientation to the NASIT College Campus.
All staff and students will have the appropriate information and instruction to protect them from violence in the Workplace/Learning Environment.
Signed: ________________________ Owner Date: _______________
The Workplace Violence policy should be consulted whenever there are concerns about violence in the workplace.