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B.C. renews campaign to prevent sexual violence on university, college campuses

Nearly two-thirds of all sexual assaults occur on campus during the first eight weeks
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Posters and digital advertisements will target students in the first eight weeks of the school year. (SafeCampusesBC Photo)

Sex without consent is rape. That’s the message of a renewed provincial program to prevent sexual violence on post-secondary campuses.

The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training has relaunched the “…Is Not Yes” campaign to raise awareness about sexual violence prevention on post-secondary campuses. The campaign was first launched in the 2019/20 school year.

RELATED: Province launches sexual violence prevention campaign at B.C. universities, colleges

The province said that after consultation with students, this year’s campaign will have a much larger presence both on-campus and online, as well as a renewed focus on what consent means.

Digital advertisements will appear on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat in multiple languages. The campaign will run everywhere from popular student restaurants and bars to display murals and print advertisements.

Nearly two-thirds of all sexual assaults occur on campus during the first eight weeks of class, so the campaign will be heavily focused on that time period.

“Sexual violence has no place on our campuses,” said Anne Kang, minister of advanced education and skills training. “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.”

Shareable campaign materials are being distributed to student and faculty organizations at all of the 25 public post-secondary institutions around B.C. to help amplify the campaign message. Every post-secondary institution in B.C. is also required to have sexual violence and misconduct policies.

RELATED: Sex assault supports vary in B.C. universities a year after provincial bill


@SchislerCole
cole.schisler@bpdigital.ca

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