The province and Burnaby-Deer Lake's MLA have announced a sexual violence prevention campaign for post-secondary campuses, including those in Burnaby.
The "...Is not Yes" campaign aims to increase awareness about prevention and available supports for students at post-secondary schools, building on the campaign during 2019-20.
Student input provided has helped the province in strengthening the program to reach students through a larger online and on-campus presence.
"Sexual violence has no place on our campuses," Burnaby-Deer Lake MLA Anne Kang said in a news release.
“Understanding consent is one of the first steps to preventing sexual violence because only ‘yes’ means ‘yes’. The messages about sex, consent and sexual violence in this campaign are direct because students have told us loud and clear that we need to meet them in a thought-provoking and direct way.”
According to the release, two-thirds of sexual assaults happen during the first eight weeks of school being in session, which is why the campaign was launched on Sept. 8 and continues through October.
Digital advertisements will be running on major social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter as well as Snapchat and the digital ads will also be run in Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi and English to help further reach.
The campaign will also be running in popular student restaurants and bars to display mural and print ads.
“Campuses must be safe places for everyone,” Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity Grace Lore added in the release.
"By focusing the campaign on consent, our goal is to foster a culture of consent at colleges and universities, and have students feel empowered and supported to build safe, inclusive spaces both physically and virtually.
"To further support this important work, the Gender Equity Office is working with the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General to develop a provincial action plan to address gender-based violence throughout B.C., which will include actions focused on preventing sexualized violence among online users.”
Shareable campaign materials are being given to student and faculty organizations at all of the province's 25 public post-secondary schools, including both Burnaby-based institutions Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, to help amplify the message.
SFU and BCIT have resources available for students, staff and faculty who are a victim of sexual assault.
"Our campuses and our communities are safer when people know that sex without consent is the crime of rape, and we applaud the Province for providing these key educational resources around what is and what is not consent," Executive Director of the Ending Violence Association BC Ninu Kang added.
“Consent to sexual activity is needed every time, and must be freely given, specific, clear, coherent, enthusiastic and ongoing."
If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, contact VictimLinkBC, a toll-free, confidential, multilingual service that's available province-wide and the Yukon 24/7 by calling or texting 1-800-563-0808.
Victims may also email [email protected] or calling your local police station or 911.
