Gendered and Sexual Violence Annual Report 2024-2025

From: Dawn McDermott
Date: Oct. 08, 2025
Report period: May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025 (academic year)

Rationale for Report

The Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES) Bill 132, the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act, requires that a report be provided to the University Board of Governors and to the MCURES regarding prevention and response strategies enacted to address gendered and sexual violence.

Legislative Requirements

Bill 132 requires the following information:

• The number of times supports, services, and accommodations relating to sexual violence are requested and obtained by students enrolled at the university, and information about said supports, services, and accommodations.
• Any initiatives and programs established to promote awareness of the supports and services available to students.
• The number of incidents and complaints of sexual violence reported by students, along with information about such incidents and complaints.
• The implementation and effectiveness of the policy.

Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy

In April 2025, a review of Laurier’s Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy was completed and approved by WLU Board of Governors.

Supports and Services

During the 2024–25 academic year, Laurier’s Sexual Violence Response staff received 226 disclosures of gendered and sexual violence and provided direct supports including:

• Crisis, brief and/or trauma-focused counselling for 190 students
• Safety or crisis planning with 57 students
• Referrals to long-term counselling, legal, and/or medical services for 79 students
• Financial supports for 27 students
• Advocacy on- and off-campus for 102 students
• Case-management and accountability counselling supports for 5 respondents

 In October 2024, Laurier introduced a new service model to address the increased number of students seeking extended counselling supports and services. The new model focuses on ensuring students receive immediate, trauma-informed support—specializing in de-escalation and stabilization, safety planning and goal setting, academic accommodations navigation, and advocacy. Staff also work closely with external community partners, including the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASCWR) with whom Laurier holds a contract, to ensure that there is a successful transition to longer-term counselling supports. This is facilitated through a collaborative care model that has the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management (OHRCM) completing intake and triage, identifying longer term needs, and de-stigmatizing the counselling process while individuals wait for external services. Laurier staff then work alongside the care provider until the student has completed their time at Laurier. This model has served to minimize waiting lists and strengthen wholistic, wrap-around supports while ensuring a plan for on-going treatment once students have completed their time at Laurier. The OHRCM continues to serve as the primary point of contact for students on campus, ensuring students receive timely care on campus in addition to continuity of care after graduation, which is often required.

Through an enhanced partnership with the SASCWR, long-term counselling is now available on both campuses—with Brantford students receiving on-campus access to SASCWR counsellors for the first time. In 2024–25, SASCWR delivered 456 counselling sessions to 64 Laurier students. Of these, 33% identified as 2SLGBTQIA+ and 34% as Black, racialized, or Indigenous. In addition to counselling, students also accessed SASCWR’s legal advocacy supports, closed groups, and drop-in programs.

New this year, Laurier’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response team piloted a weekly peer support group, which consistently drew high participation—23 survivors attended over two semesters—making it one of the most engaged student support groups in the history of the Office.

Processes Under Policy 12.4

 During the 2024–2025 academic year, 3 new cases and 2 continued cases were addressed under Laurier’s Gendered and Sexual Violence Policy 12.4. Of these:

• 2 were addressed through Informal Intervention Process (IIP)
  • Informal Intervention Process (IIP). IIP may be requested by the complainant, prior to filing a Formal Complaint, that may result in a range of possible accommodations or agreements involving the Complainant and Respondent
• 1 case engaged in a continued Restorative Justice process facilitated internally
• 2 were filed as Formal Complaints:
  • 1 was resolved through Adaptable Resolution
  • 1 proceeded to Investigation, but was held in abeyance pending criminal proceedings

Complaint numbers decreased this year (3 new cases, compared to 17 last year). This decrease may be due to several factors, including the Office’s transition toward short-term stabilization and referral, increased use of community supports, and the influence of broader social climates — for example, high-profile cases where outcomes have not favoured survivors. These shifts reflect changes in how survivors are choosing to access support, rather than a reduction in experiences of harm.

Education and Awareness

An exciting initiative was the creation of Bridging Conversations Men’s Group. This group served a total of 5 students and was created to support male-identifying students navigating feelings of disenfranchisement and isolation. Several participants have become aware of the OHRCM as a result of being named in a disclosure and participated in accountability counselling as part of a resolution process, furthering their personal accountability and contributing to broader prevention and culture change efforts on campus.

In 2024–2025, 308 participants attended 18 workshops through the Foundations Certificate: Restorative Principles, a professional development series that introduces non-punitive, anti-oppressive skills for responding to harm, created specifically for Laurier staff and faculty. This offering continues to support Laurier’s broader commitment to fostering non-punitive skills to respond to harms in the campus community while prioritizing accountability as a norm on campus.

In 2024–2025, Laurier reached a total of 5349 students, staff, and faculty through gendered and sexual violence education and awareness programming.

Highlights included:

• Expanded Levelling Up Relationships training to become mandatory for all incoming students, broadening its reach beyond first year students. 2569 students completed the virtual training.
• Prioritized increased campus visibility during times where students are more likely to experience harm or during important awareness weeks. Examples include: Consent Awareness Week, 16 Days of Activism Against Gendered Violence, Pride Month and Orientation Week.
• Continued delivery of the Sexual Violence Response Certificate, a skills-based workshop series focused on supporting survivors and contributing to a culture of consent. 172 participants completed course requirements.  
• Continued to strengthen collaborations with campus partners, community organizations, and external facilitators, including Wellness, Student’s Union, CSEDI, SASCWR, the Sexual and Domestic Violence Treatment Centres at both Brantford and Waterloo hospitals, Thrive HIV Prevention and more.
• Offered 99 total workshops, class talks, trainings, and events facilitated this year.

Laurier also prioritized digital engagement, continuing its survivor-centered newsletter, growing its online presence, particularly on social media, and developing responsive, relevant and relatable content.

Priorities and Recommendations for 2025/26 Year

• Continue to refine mandatory Levelling Up training.
• Grow partnerships in the community to broader long-term student support.
• Secure on-going, sustainable funding for administrative support to adequately resource the programming and education work.
• Broaden student awareness of services through new and innovative active and passive programming initiatives.
• Expand efforts to support individuals who have caused harm with an intentional outreach program.
• Expand the facilitation of group treatment and psychoeducational groups to increase skills for specific populations.
• Establish and facilitate social work practicum placement opportunities.