Options, Resources + Services for those who have been subjected to Sexual or Gender-Based Violence

Relevant Policy

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy

Also applicable

Discrimination and Harassment Policy

Capitalized terms below are defined in policy.

The University of Alberta respects everyone's right to make their own decisions regarding their personal recovery after having been subjected to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). This document is intended to provide a non-exhaustive list of the various options available so that all Students, staff, postdoctoral scholars and faculty can assist in making appropriate referrals upon receiving a Disclosure or make informed decisions for themselves after experiencing sexual violence.

Individual reactions to sexual violence will differ greatly, and a person's decision about how to respond to an experience of sexual violence may change over time. Whether the result of a Disclosure or a Complaint , the University can assist with some of those responses, including providing academic, work or University residence Modifications, safety planning, personal support, making a Complaint or other options that meet the goals of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy and related procedures.

ONN Logo

The Options Navigation Network provides Students, staff and faculty Disclosers with assistance understanding what options might apply in their own situation. For those who need a more comprehensive and coordinated response. Students can contact Student Success and Experience to get access to multiple options, resources and responses without having to approach each service separately. Employees can seek coordination through the Workplace Response Coordinator

Where available, individuals who have been subjected to interpersonal harm may seek voluntary Non-Disciplinary Accountability or informal resolution options. In some cases, a facilitated resolution may be desired; however, it should be understood that mediation is not appropriate for situations involving sexual violence. Mediation is a conflict resolution mechanism that presumes all parties have an equal role in resolving a conflict. Interpersonal harm such as sexual violence is not a conflict, but a harm inflicted on another person. Mediation introduces a significant risk of additional harm to the person to whom the violence was done and should never be considered an option in cases of sexual violence.

What are my options

On This Page

Personal Support  |  Medical Assistance  |  Safety  |  Modifications (Academic, Work or University Residence)  |  Complaints + Accountability  |  Other Resources + Services  |  Institutional Accountability  |  Non-University Options

Personal Support

Personal Support
OPTION WHERE TO FIND IT WHO CAN ACCESS
Counselling Sexual Assault Centre located at 2-705 Students’ Union Building Students and employees
Counselling and Clinical Services Students
Clinical Services, Faculty of Education Anyone
CSJ Counseling Campus Saint-Jean Students
Augustana Personal Counselling Services Augustana Students
Counselling - Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

Homewood Pathfinder Interactive Dashboard

 Employees
Postdoctoral Fellows Assistance Program (PDAP): Postdoctoral Fellows at the University of Alberta and their eligible dependents can access counselling directly and at no cost. No referral needed – contact Homewood Health Solutions directly. Postdoctoral Scholars
Graduate Student Assistance Program (GSAP): Designed to assist all graduate Students with a variety of personal issues and includes personal counselling. Graduate Students
Contact Homewood Health  or the Health and Wellbeing Resources for Employees (EFAP), PDAP, or GSAP Administrators  for any questions relating to the Assistance programs) Employees, postdoctoral scholars or graduate Students
24/7 mental health support

Empower me Mental Health Resources toll free 24/7 Line 1-833-628-5589; Students can access a number of professionals with various domains of expertise, including psychology, psychotherapy, social work, etc., to support Students and respond effectively to diverse needs. Students can access services via telephone, videoconference, or in person

 Undergraduate Students covered by the SU Health Plan
Spiritual Support Interfaith Chaplains’ Association Employees and Students
Augustana Pastoral Counselling Augustana employees and Students
St. Joseph’s College  (SJC) Campus Ministry provides free counselling with our campus ministers. SJC residents, SJC Students, and U of A Students, regardless of their religious background.
Academic Support Academic Success Centre Students
Other University Resources Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights Employees and Students
Peer Support Centre Students
First Peoples’ House contacts, location and hours FNMI Students
Indigenous Student Services FNMI Augustana Students

Residence Services

  • Resident Assistants (RAs) are specially trained Student staff who can connect Students to campus resources and respond to after-hours emergencies. 
  • Residence Coordinators (RCs) are full-time staff members living in various residences to provide support and guidance both to residents and to Student staff.

Information and Hours for Residence Services Offices

To contact an RA or RC after hours, check the on-call number for your residence.		 Students living in residence
Counselling - community resources

Canadian Mental Health Association Edmonton:

Call 780-482-HELP (4357) to talk to someone right away, 24 hours a day. An Online Crisis Chat service is also available. Both services offer a safe, confidential, one-on-one conversation

 Anyone
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton offers both individual and group counselling to survivors of sexual violence as well as a 24 hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line staffed by well- trained volunteers. Anyone
The Saffron Centre is a sexual assault centre in Sherwood Park that offers help to victims of sexual assault, specializing in crisis intervention, therapy, & education. Anyone
Return to top of page

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
OPTION WHERE TO FIND IT WHO CAN ACCESS
Medical Attention University Health Centre: A full-services walk-in medical clinic. Students and immediate family members, employees
Alberta Health Services: Students and employees can locate the closest hospital 24 hour emergency room or walk-in clinic by using the Alberta Health Services Health Care Locator. Anyone
Camrose Community Health Centre Briarcrest: Public health services. Anyone (Camrose)
St. Mary’s Hospital, Camrose, AB
Emergency sexual assault Care Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Anyone
STI testing and treatment Sexually Transmitted Infections Clinic: Results are provided by phone or in person about 10 days after testing. Anyone
Return to top of page

SAFETY

Safety
OPTION WHERE TO FIND IT WHO CAN ACCESS
Safety Planning University of Alberta Protective Services (UAPS): Visit UAPS in-person or call to arrange a time to visit. One of their Peace Officers will work with you to build a plan that addresses safety concerns specific to your situation. Students and employees
Sexual Assault Centre Students and employees
Transportation Assistance

 

 Safewalk Students and employees, North Campus
University of Alberta Protective Services Escort Service, call 780-492-5050 Students and employees, North Campus, CSJ and Augustana
Interim Measures Student Success and Experience Where person who caused harm is a Student
Workplace Response Coordinator Where person who caused harm is a staff or Faculty member
Faculty Relations or Workplace Response Coordinator Where person who caused harm is a Faculty member
Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Where person who caused harm is a postdoctoral scholar
Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights or Student Success and Experience Where status of person who caused harm is unknown
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Contact the Office of Advocacy and Wellbeing. Where the person who caused harm is a Clinical Academic Colleague
Return to top of page

Modifications

Academic, Work or University Residence

Modifications
OPTION WHERE TO FIND IT WHO CAN ACCESS

Academic Modifications
Examples may include:

  • Extensions on assignments
  • Exam deferrals (including graduate Student candidacy exam and thesis defence)
  • Switching classes
  • Moving to part-time status
  • Voluntary leave from program
  • Assistance with switching programs
  • Switching graduate supervisors or labs
  • Assistance for graduate Students changing the composition of their supervisory committee
 Students who have experienced sexual violence or any person who has received a disclosure can make a request for academic modifications. A Student can make the request directly to the person who has authority to grant it, such as:
  • The Professor who is responsible for the academic work where a modification is sought
  • Faculty Student Services Office
  • The Assistant Dean, Associate Dean, or Dean in the Faculty
  • The Faculty of Graduate and Post-Doctoral Studies
Where a Student is seeking assistance in determining who to request a modification from, an initial request to a staff member or administrator within the Student’s Faculty or College, or to Student Success and Experience will be directed to the appropriate staff, who will then work directly with the Student involved, such as:
Undergraduate and graduate Students
Modifications to living arrangements on campus

Relocation to another University residence or dissolving residence contract with a pro-rated refund.

Students living in residence should speak with their Resident Assistant (RA), Residence Coordinator (RC), or the Housing Office to request a move to another room within the same residence or another residence building.

The RA on-call contact information for each residence is posted throughout each individual residence community.

 Students

The Safe House Program can provide short term, safe (up to two weeks) accommodations while working with university staff who can assist Students to address any issues that impacted their living arrangements. To access the Safe House program, Students, faculty, or staff making a referral should contact either the Sexual Assault Centre, Student Success and Experience ( 780-492-4145) or the Residence Coordinator on call ( 780-220-0302) in Residence Services. Any of these offices can determine if a Student meets the eligibility for Safe House and perform an intake.

Students, faculty or staff at Augustana should contact the Student Experience Coordinators ( 780-781-0305) or the  Student Success and Experience.

 Students
Assistance in dissolving an off-campus tenancy agreement The Residential Tenancies (Safer Spaces for Victims of Domestic Violence) Amendment Act is legislation that allows victims of domestic violence to end a tenancy early and without financial penalty. Anyone

Work modifications
Examples may include:

  • changes in work assignment, hours, location, and/or supervisor
  • voluntary leave of absence

Employees seeking work modifications should contact their management supervisor to enter discussions with the Workplace Response Coordinator in Human Resource, Health, Safety and Environment or Faculty Relations on appropriate modifications.

 Employees

Graduate Students who are seeking modifications to Graduate Assistantship positions should contact the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) or the Workplace Response Coordinator

 Graduate Students
Postdoctoral Scholars who are seeking modifications should contact the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies or the Postdoctoral Fellows Association (PDFA). Postdoctoral scholars
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry Special Continuing Academic Colleagues
Modifications to recreational activities

Contact the administrative head for the unit responsible for the activities. Some examples include:

 Students and employees
Return to top of page

COMPLAINTS + Accountability

Complaints
OPTION WHERE TO FIND IT WHO CAN ACCESS

Complaint, internal

Options may include:

  • Making a complaint for immediate investigation
  • Reporting an incident for information only
  • Requesting that normal timelines be extended
 Email Student Success and Experience ( sse@ualberta.ca) or visit 5-02 Students’ Union Building, where the respondent is a Student Anyone
Office of the Provost, copied to Faculty Relations, Where the respondent is an AASUA member (Faculty, FSO, APO, Librarian, ATS, or TRAS) Anyone
The Workplace Response Coordinator at workplace.response@ualberta.ca, where the Respondent is a NASA staff member, NUE or excluded staff Anyone
Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, where the respondent is a Postdoctoral Scholar Anyone
Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights for information on where to submit complaint where the status of the respondent is unknown Anyone
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry where the respondent is a Special Continuing Academic Colleague Anyone
Report to local law enforcement

Anyone wishing to make a report to local law enforcement should contact either:

 Anyone
Anonymous disclosure

Students, staff, and faculty may choose to make an anonymous report through the  Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights using their Online Disclosure Tool.

Edmonton Police Service - Report a Sexual Assault online

Students and employees can request that the Sexual Assault Centre submit an anonymous police report on their behalf. The name of the reporter will be kept confidential at the Sexual Assault Centre, and the report goes to Edmonton Police Service (EPS).

 Students and employees
Non-disciplinary accountability or educational options

Contact  Student Success and Experience to learn about other accountability options that don’t require a complaint.

 Anyone in the university community, where the person who caused harm is a Student
Contact the Workplace Response Coordinator to learn about other accountability options that don’t require a complaint. Anyone in the university community, where the person who caused harm is an employee
Return to top of page

Other resources + Services

Other resources and Services
RESOURCE OR SERVICE HOW CAN THEY HELP ME? WHO CAN ACCESS
Reporting worrisome behaviour Helping Individuals At Risk: HIAR encourages the campus community to recognize and report at risk behaviours of those at risk of harm to self or others to help connect the individual to resources before a situation escalates. Students and employees
Neutral third-party advice Office of the Student Ombuds provide information, advice, and support to Students who have encountered a problem or are in crisis. Students
Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights Students and employees
Advocacy, representation and/or advice Students’ Union (SU) Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) Graduate Students
l'Association des Universitaires de la Faculté Saint-Jean (AUFSJ) (version Française) Campus Saint-Jean students
Augustana Students' Association Augustana Students
Postdoctoral Scholars and Visitors Postdoctoral Scholars
Non Academic Staff Association (NASA) NASA members
Association of Academic Staff University of Alberta (AASUA) AASUA members
Student Legal Services Anyone
Resource connection Wellness Supports Students
Email the Student Care Coordinators to help coordinate services or connect to other resources Students

Note: Where available, individuals who have been subjected to SGBV may seek voluntary Non- Disciplinary Accountability Options (NDAOs) or informal resolution. In some cases, a facilitated resolution may be desired; however, it should be understood that mediation is not appropriate for situations involving sexual violence. Mediation is a conflict resolution mechanism that presumes all parties have an equal role in resolving a conflict. Sexual violence is not a conflict, but harm inflicted on another person. Mediation introduces a significant risk of additional harm to the person to whom the violence was done and should never be considered an option in cases of sexual violence.

Return to top of page

Institutional Accountability

Institutional Accountability
OPTION WHERE TO FIND IT WHO CAN ACCESS

Barriers to access in policy or procedure

 Office of Safe Disclosure and Human Rights and/or Sexual Violence Response Coordinator Anyone in the university community

Perceived deficit in University response

 Student Success and Experience, or Associate Vice-President, Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment, or Faculty Relations, and/or Vice-Provost (Access, Community and Belonging) Anyone in the university community

Suggestions for improvement

 Lead, Policy Strategy and Implementation Anyone in the university community
Return to top of page

Non-university Options

Non-university Options

Counselling

 Canadian Mental Health Association Edmonton: Call 780-482-HELP (4357) to talk to someone right away, 24 hours a day. An Online Crisis Chat service is also available. Both services offer a safe, confidential, one-on-one conversation Anyone
The Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton offers both individual and group counselling to survivors of sexual violence as well as a 24 hour Sexual Assault Crisis Line staffed by well- trained volunteers Anyone
The Saffron Centre is a sexual assault centre in Sherwood Park that offers help to victims of sexual assault, specializing in crisis intervention, therapy, & education Anyone

Medical Attention

 Alberta Health Services: Students and employees can locate the closest hospital 24 hour emergency room or walk-in clinic by using the Alberta Health Services Health Care Locator Anyone
Camrose Community Health Centre Briarcrest: Public health services. Anyone
St. Mary’s Hospital, Camrose, AB Anyone

Emergency Sexual Assault care

 Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Anyone

STI testing and treatment

 Sexually Transmitted Infections Clinic: Results are provided by phone or in person about 10 days after testing. Anyone

Assistance in Dissolving an Off-Campus Tenancy Agreement

 The Residential Tenancies (Safer Spaces for Victims of Domestic Violence) Amendment Act is legislation that allows victims of domestic violence to end a tenancy early and without financial penalty. Anyone

Report to local law enforcement

 Anyone wishing to make a report to local law enforcement should contact either the Edmonton or Camrose Police Services.
 Anyone
Return to top of page