Stanford sexual assault case highlights need for 'systemic' change says Regina prof
The University of Regina's Man Up Against Violence is using $100K for a national violence prevention plan
The topic of sex assaults on college campuses is at the top of mind for many people following the sentence of former Stanford University swimmer Brock Turner. The 20-year-old was recently given a six-month sentence for the sexual assault of an unconscious 23-year-old woman at a frat party.
The Man Up Against Violence program, which started at the University of Regina, is aimed at preventing assaults with the help of leadership from men on campus.
Man Up describes itself as an initiative that "challenges mind-sets and behaviours with regard to the social construction of masculinity and its relationship with violence."
"Many times the messages that we send to young men and boys are unhealthy," said Roz Kelsey, a Kinesiology and Health Studies professor at the University of Regina and the chair of Man Up Against Violence campaign.
She added many of the problems stemming from the Turner case are systemic and have to do with the way society is constructed to reinforce gender inequality.
"What kind of characteristics do we attribute to power and strength and importance. And those are all reinforced by the system we create. And it's not common conversation," Kelsey said.
Man Up receives $100,000
Kelsey said the money will be used to launch a landmark violence prevention program in October 2016.
"The objective is to create a comprehensive prevention and action plan that will stand as the foundation for a national strategy on university campus safety."
Turner receives six-month sentence
Turner, formerly an Olympic swimming hopeful, was convicted of assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated victim and two charges of digitally penetrating an unconscious and intoxicated victim. He had initially been charged with rape of the 23-year-old woman, but those charges were dropped.
- Stanford University sexual assault case sentencing seen as too lenient by legal experts
- Stanford University defends how it handled sex assault case
- Stanford rape case: Sex offender's dad says 6 months is too harsh for '20 minutes of action'
"The light sentence in the Brock Turner case is problematic for several reasons, but at least in part because it emboldens those of privilege or an athletic background," said Danielle De Smeth, a California-based criminal attorney.
Baylor University also facing a sexual assault scandal
Two players have been convicted of sexual assaults. One player, Tevin Elliott, received a 20-year prison sentence.
An independent review determined both football staff and school leadership "in some instances, posed a risk to campus safety and the integrity of the university."
Issue not an American one
But Canadian universities have also had their share of recent scandals. The Fifth Estate featured problems at UBC, where it took officials a year and a half to act on sexual assault allegations against a grad student on campus.
- UBC announces new committee to develop sex assault policy
- Schools reporting zero sexual assaults on campus not reflecting reality, critics, students say
Brandon University came under fire in April when students criticized a school policy that required victims of sexual assault to sign a behavioural contract that requires them not to speak about an assault except to counselors. The school has since established a sexual assault response and prevention team.
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with files from CBC's Mark Gollom and the Canadian Press