Minister’s, parliamentary secretary’s joint statement on Consent Awareness Week 2024
Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, and Kelli Paddon, Parliamentary Secretary for Gender Equity, have released the following joint statement in recognition of the annual Consent Awareness Week 2024:
“Today marks the beginning of Consent Awareness Week in British Columbia. This is an opportunity to reflect on the fact that gender-based and sexualized violence continues to have a devastating impact on people in communities across our province.
“In the context of sexual activities, consent refers to giving voluntary permission to engage in a sexual activity. It is a freely given yes, and can be taken away at any time.
“It is important that all post-secondary institutions have their own sexualized-violence prevention and response initiative in place.
“One of the ways the ministry is helping to support the sector is through a new resource for post-secondary institutions. A Toolkit for Data & Reporting on Sexualized Violence Response and Support at Public Post-Secondary Institutions in British Columbia helps post-secondary staff who are responsible for implementing sexualized-violence policies learn how to collect and report data and prepare their institution’s annual report.
“The toolkit will help to improve transparency, promote accountability and understanding, and inform areas for future development. To see the toolkit, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safe-campuses-bc/sexualized-violence-prevention-and-response-initiatives
“In addition, the ministry has released a suite of open-access intersectional training resources funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada. The resources address technology-facilitated sexualized violence and the impacts of sexualized violence on Indigenous, graduate and international students. These training resources and materials can be found on the BCcampus website under Sexualized Violence Resources: https://bccampus.ca/projects/sexualized-violence-resources
“B.C. now has supports available for people who have had their intimate images or videos shared without consent, to help get images off the internet, stop their distribution, and seek monetary compensation”
“We are committed to working collaboratively with students, post-secondary institutions, and communities to make our post-secondary institutions a safer space for students, faculty, and staff. This furthers the ongoing work under Safe and Supported: B.C.’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan, which has supports and services to help prevent and respond to gender-based violence and ensure survivors have the care they need.
“Consent Awareness Week is an annual reminder that everyone has the right to be respected and safe and we encourage everyone to join us in reinforcing the importance of consent at all times.”