Home is Not Safe For Everyone

There are so many urgent call-outs for folks to ‘stay at home’, but we understand that home is not always a safe place. We know students are experiencing an increased risk of domestic and gender-based violence under the Covid-19 pandemic. The restrictions in place have decreased individuals’ access to supports and increased their exposure to ongoing violence. We are aware that there are countless reports of a huge surge in domestic violence cases worldwide. This growth is not surprising as stress, fear, feelings of loss of control and financial strain are heavily linked to abusive behaviours in the home.

These restrictions increase the risk for:

• Students experiencing financial, physical, emotional and/or sexual harm from a member of their household.
• Students being isolated with someone who doesn’t respect, or is actively violent in response to, their sexual or gender identity.
• Students experiencing online harassment and cyber sexual violence.
• 70% of domestic violence is not reported to the police*. For many reasons, reaching out to the police does not feel like a viable option for many people.

We also recognize that some students struggling with recent experiences of sexual violence have returned home and feel unable to share these experiences with members of their household. Please reach out to us for support via email, phone or video.

You are not alone. We believe you. We are here to help.

If you, or someone you know, needs help and wants to access resources within the University they can reach out to svinfo@wlu.ca.

If home isn’t safe for you:

• Practice self-care and try to prioritize your basic needs when and how you can.
• Get outside when you can.
• Create a safety plan – we can help with this!
• Erase your online tracks and change your passwords
• Keep all your important documents, medications and a change of clothes together.
• Carefully stay in touch with people. You can reach out to us via email, phone or video.
• Have a code word with a friend to indicate when you are in danger and need help.
• Identify a safe room in the house that has a lock. Consider leaving an old phone here.

Community Resources

• Sexual Assault Support and Crisis Lines: Waterloo – 519.741.8633, Brantford – 519.751.3471
• Finding Help Across Canada (Ending Violence Association of Canada)

More Information About GBV and COVID-19

• Key Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Gender-Based Violence (Courage to Act)

*Stat from Canada’s Women Foundation’s Fact Sheet Moving Women Out of Violence