UBC has over 85 different policies in place to govern everyday operations and shape campus life. There are policies on a wide range of different topics from vending machines, to brand identity, to scholarly integrity. One important policy for students to know about and understand is the Sexual Misconduct Policy (SC17).
Does the SC17 Policy only apply to students? This policy applies to everyone on campus from students, to staff, faculty, and guests.
Why does UBC have a policy like this? The purpose of the SC17 policy is to encourage a safer and more inclusive campus – a campus where sexualized violence and harassment are not tolerated. The policy lays out different options for seeking support and/or reporting incidents of sexualized and gender-based violence.
The SC17 policy is long and detailed, but here are some important policy points that you may not know about:
- Policy Point #1 – “Did you know… UBC’s Sexual Misconduct Policy recognizes intersectionality.”Intersectionality is a concept developed by Black Feminist legal scholar Dr. Kimberle Crenshaw. Using an intersectional analysis means looking at the root causes of violence. The root causes of sexualized violence are societal systems of oppression and inequality, such as settler-colonialism, racism, sexism, or transphobia. These systems of oppression shape the lives and experiences of both survivors and people who cause harm.
- Policy Point #2 – “Did You Know… That a key part of taking a trauma-informed approach to sexualized violence is confidentiality.”Sometimes students are afraid to come to UBCO’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) to get support or make a report because they don’t want anyone else to find out what happened to them and they don’t know who SVPRO will tell. All of SVPRO’s services are confidential and support specialists work closely with survivors to protect that confidentiality.
- Policy Point #3 – “Did You Know… Your safety from sexualized and gender-based violence will always be our first concern.”Students are often afraid to seek support from SVPRO because they fear they will get in trouble for breaking other campus rules at the time of the incident. While these rules are in place on campus for a reason and they are an important part of keeping our community safe, your safety from sexualized and gender-based violence is more important. If you experience sexualized violence and come to SVPRO to get support, you will not get in trouble for breaking other campus rules such as drinking underage, drinking in residence, or using drugs.
- Policy Point #4 – “Did You Know… That the SC 17 Policy prohibits sexual or romantic relationships when one person is in a position of power over the other person.”The person in power might be a professor, a TA, a supervisor, or a coach. The person with more power is responsible for following the policy. The person with less power will never get in trouble for breaking this rule.
- Policy Point #5 – “Did you know… The Sexual Misconduct Policy uses the legal concept of jurisdiction to decide which incidents of alleged harm can be investigated by UBC.”A series of questions is used to help UBC’s Investigations Office decide if an incident falls under UBC’s jurisdiction. These questions include:
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- Is the person who caused harm a member of the UBC community, like a student, staff, or faculty member?
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- Has the incident of sexualized or gender-based violence made it difficult for the survivor to fully participate in campus activities?
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- Has the incident of sexualized or gender-based violence impacted the broader campus community?
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- Did the incident happen during a UBC related event? A UBC related event could be on OR off campus. A UBC related event could include official (e.g., UBC conference; Frosh concert; holiday party) OR unofficial events and activities (e.g., a social gathering amongst classmates, lab members, student group.)
Decisions about jurisdiction are made on a case-by-case basis.
How can I learn more?
Attend one of our upcoming events or contact our office.
SVPRO is here to answer your questions, help you understand your rights and responsibilities, and support you in navigating the SC17 policy.
Reach out to SVPRO by email at svpro.okanagan@ubc.ca or stop by SVPRO on campus at 120 Nicola Townhome during drop-in hours (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 12 pm).