Disclosing sexual violence and filing a complaint

During a disclosure, the member of the University community should:  

• talk to you about Policy 67b – Prevention of Sexual Violence;
• inform you about the Human Rights Office. 

The Human Rights Office has set up a Sexual Violence Prevention and Response team to support you and help you find appropriate resources, in complete confidentiality. Through its training and tools, the team will listen to you and guide you through the support services and options available to deal with the situation if you wish, at your pace and in keeping with your needs.  

Here are some of the services provided by the Human Rights Office:

• Active listening and ad hoc support
• Referral to appropriate services
• Risk assessment and assistance in developing safety plans (in collaboration with Protection Services)
• Liaison with the Ottawa Police Service, if desired
• Assistance in requesting academic and workplace accommodations
• Documentation of the situation and storage of evidence in our secure database
• Complaints management under Policy 67b 

If you decide to discuss your situation with a counsellor from the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response team, she will take the time to listen to you and give you all the information you need about the services and options available to you. You should also know that:  

• Talking to our team about an incident does not automatically or necessarily lead to the filing of a complaint. You may absolutely receive services without filing a complaint or following up on the incident, except in specific situations (see “Confidentiality and legal obligations” below). 
• Any member of the University community may disclose one or more incidents of sexual violence that affect them. Our services are available to students, staff, faculty members, volunteers and visitors, among others. 
• You can talk to us about the situation and receive services even if the incident occurred outside the University. What’s more, our support services are available to you even if the perpetrator is not a member of the University community. 
• You can always bring someone of your choice with you when you meet our team. 

It’s perfectly normal to be afraid of disclosing a situation involving sexual violence and to fear possible repercussions. It’s also normal not to feel ready to do so after an incident. Sometimes, taking care of yourself comes first. Since there’s no deadline for disclosing a situation or for receiving services under Policy 67b, it’s never too late to talk about it.  

You can also contact the Human Rights Office anonymously to speak to one of our counsellors so you can gather all the information you need to determine whether you want to disclose the situation.  

We’re here for you!

The Human Rights Office is also responsible for handling all complaints of sexual violence involving a member of the University community in non-emergency situations, whether or not the incident took place on campus.  

Here is some important information about filing a complaint:  

• Only the survivor may file a complaint under Policy 67b, except in cases of danger or legal obligation (see “Confidentiality and legal obligations” below). 
• In keeping with the survivor-centred approach, there are a number of ways (formal and informal) of dealing with incidents of sexual violence. Only the survivor can choose the option that suits them best. 
• There’s no deadline for filing a complaint, as long as the perpetrator is a member of the University community at the time the complaint is filed. 
• The Human Rights Office, in collaboration with the competent authorities, can help put interim measures in place during the process to ensure the safety of those involved and to protect them from reprisals. 
• The complaint process is conducted in a neutral, fair, impartial and professional manner.  
• You may be accompanied by a support person throughout the process. 
• During the complaint process, the Human Rights Office can support the parties and refer them to personalized services as needed.  

To find out more about your options and the complaint process, see section 7 of Policy 67b – Prevention of Sexual Violence.

We recommend that you make your decision after receiving all the information you need to file a complaint. If you’re thinking of filing a complaint, don’t hesitate to discuss it beforehand with a counsellor from the Human Rights Office Sexual Violence Prevention and Response team. She can explain your options and the formal complaint process in detail, so you can make an informed decision when the time comes.  

Incidents of sexual violence reported to the University are treated in complete confidentiality and in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as with the provisions of applicable collective agreements.

The University will make every reasonable effort to maintain confidentiality when it becomes aware of an incident of sexual violence and will limit disclosure of information about individuals to those within the University who need to know for the purposes of, or for purposes consistent with, addressing the situation, investigating or taking corrective action.

However, under the following circumstances, the University might face additional legal obligations and may not be able to guarantee complete confidentiality, namely if:

• an individual is at risk of self harm;
• an individual is at risk of harming an identified individual;
• members of the University community or the broader community may be at risk of harm; and/or
• reporting or investigation is required by law (such as in the following non-exhaustive list of examples: an incident involving a minor or obligations related to occupational health and safety or to human rights legislation). 

It is also expected that each party involved will keep the details of the case confidential outside their support network to ensure the integrity of the process and avoid any and all retaliation.  

Some data is collected for statistical purposes in order to produce annual reports. However, no information that identifies any survivor is disclosed.

For more information about confidentiality, contact the Human Rights Office.