University Rape Culture

"These are both issues that are part of a much larger, systemic problem which is the problem of rape culture and sexual violence on campuses, and as much of this has been garnering a lot of attention at the University of Ottawa specifically, we've seen examples throughout the year that this is by no means an isolated issue to the University of Ottawa. This is something that happens at campuses across the country."
Nicole Desnoyers, vice-president (equity), Student Federation University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa, like all Canadian universities considers itself a progressive hall of learning, exposing students to opportunities to expand their minds and their horizons into the future. That's the purpose of a university, after all, to bring discipline and a love of learning to the minds of young adults eager to absorb new experiences and expand their intelligence. And then, of course, social mores and cultural traditions relating to gender and sex intrude, aided by social media.

Women's roles are ever expanding, with women feeling entitled to do anything that men traditionally did, including heading corporations, joining professions traditionally restrained to male entrants, and being, in the instance of the University of Ottawa, the head of a students union. Leading five University of Ottawa students of the male persuasion to exchange a number of comments on Facebook relating to a young woman who is president of the student federation.

Anne-Marie Roy, president of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, speaks at a May Day rally in Ottawa on May 1, 2013.  (Bew Powless/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

 

These were most definitely X-rated comments that should have occurred to those involved might be rated as compromising of their intelligence. They were insulting, crude, sexist and even threatening, although no doubt those involved thought of them as clever and quite, quite amusing. Some anonymous wit looking for action perhaps, forwarded to 24-year-old Anne-Marie Roy, the subject of the back-and-forth Facebook discussion, the conversation text.

She was shocked and her first impression was that this was the type of thing that should receive public notice. She confronted the five men, and they issued an apology, urging her to let the matter be. And informing her that if she made the issue a public one they would sue her. "It is very challenging and very scary to not only read a conversation like that but to read legal threats after the fact ... it's very scary, it's violent, it's unacceptable."

Four of the five men had issued the threat to sue, though all of them signed the original apology, while claiming the Facebook conversation was a private conversation and making it public would compromise their right to privacy. So much for an enlightened place of learning, of embracing new ideas and practising the values of equality and respect for others.

Now it has been additionally revealed that police are investigating allegations of a sexual assault of a Thunder Bay student by some members of the university's varsity hockey team, visiting Thunder Bay for a game. "The incident occurred several weeks ago. The university is deeply concerned that senior management was only informed about these allegations on February 24, and then by a third party. This will be among the matters examined in the review", acknowledged a university statement.

"This is a serious allegation. This is a matter that we take very seriously. This is our top priority. You will also appreciate that there's all kinds of legal rights, including privacy rights of all innocent parties involved", said Patrick Charette, the university's director of corporate communications at a brief news conference.

The alleged misconduct "is not in keeping with the values that are at the heart of athletics and student life on campus", the motherhood statement affirmed.