Learn more about how you can attend global rally Take Back the Night, which protests sexual and gender-based violence
On Sept. 21, an event part of the worldwide movement Take Back the Night will be held at Hamilton City Hall Forecourt. Take Back the Night is an annual rally and march in support of the fight to end sexual violence, gender-based violence and street harassment.
These events are held around the world every year and one has been hosted in Hamilton by the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area for over 40 years.
SACHA’s public education coordinator Miranda Jurilj explained that the movement originally began as a protest for women who felt unsafe or were assaulted or harassed while walking home at night and has since expanded to encompass a broader mission.
“[Take Back the Night] has continued to grow and become this protest all forms of gender-based violence, sexual violence and street harassment. A way for survivors, their allies and communities to assert that everybody has the right to be safe in every part of life. It has been an event that has grown to not just [be] a march and rally, but [also] a celebration of community,” said Jurilj.
[Take Back the Night] has continued to grow and become this protest all forms of gender-based violence, sexual violence and street harassment. A way for survivors, their allies and communities to assert that everybody has the right to be safe in every part of life.
Miranda Jurilj, public education coordinator, Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area
The theme of this year’s Take Back the Night is Community Power Through Collective Resistance. Jurilj explained that this theme aims to emphasize the importance of uniting all that are fighting for a world free of oppression and violence.
The theme also hopes to bring intergenerational solidarity to the fight against sexual and gender-based violence through honouring past activists.
"There have been people who have led the way for us to have Take Back the Night in the form that it is now. There are people doing the work now and our hope is that the future generations won't have to do this work—that it'll be a world that people are thriving in and not needing to fight against sexual violence and gender-based violence,” said Jurilj.
There have been people who have led the way for us to have Take Back the Night in the form that it is now. There are people doing the work now and our hope is that the future generations won't have to do this work—that it'll be a world that people are thriving in and not needing to fight against sexual violence and gender-based violence.
Miranda Jurilj, public education coordinator, Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area
In Aug. 2023, intimate partner violence was declared an epidemic in Hamilton. In 2022, 12,514 domestic violence calls were made to Hamilton police and an additional 7,660 calls were made to non-police, violence against women crisis support lines.
Wil Prakash Fujarczuk, manager of the Sexual Violence Prevention Education Program within the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office, shared sentiments on the significance of this year’s theme and the importance of unity and strength among the McMaster University and Hamilton community.
“As an office is so important for us to really send the message to folks on campus, given the disturbingly high rates that we see on like campuses across North America, that there are people working to create a safer world. There's like so much support in that sense of solidarity,” said Prakash Fujarczuk.
In preparation for the event, SACHA hosted a sign-making party on campus. Jurilj shared that the sign-making event gives marchers the chance to put their message out there and create a sign that is personally meaningful, while also allowing marchers to become acquainted before the rally.
The main event takes place on Sept. 21 at 6:00 p.m., where marchers can attend an Indigenous artists and small business market, hear live music from local musicians and listen to a drag story time lead by McMaster’s own Unita Assk.
The main event takes place on Sept. 21 at 6:00 p.m., where marchers can attend an Indigenous artists and small business market, hear live music from local musicians and listen to a drag story time lead by McMaster’s own Unita Assk.
Starting at 8:00 p.m., speakers will kick off the march speaking towards this year’s theme and how it intersects with their own work and activism.
Jurilj explained that the march itself will proceed at a slower pace to be as accessible as possible to all who want to participate. Additionally, DARTS buses will be available for those who prefer to ride along.
“There will be a band playing, a marching band during the march, so we are going to be as loud as possible and take up that space and feel good about reclaiming our rights to safety.” said Jurilj.
More information on this year’s Take Back the Night and SACHA’s services can be found on SACHA’s Instagram.
The judge found the Crown unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the student did not consent because her testimony was unreliable and incredible
CW: sexual harassment, sexual assault, grooming
This article serves to provide an update piece to our previous court coverage of the McMaster University associate professor Scott Watter case. The content within this article may be upsetting or triggering as it deals with sexual harassment, sexual assault, grooming. For a list of resources, please see the bottom of the article.
Watter has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a graduate student in a judge-only trial on December 15th. Justice Amanda Camara found the Crown unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the complainant did not consent to the physical acts.
Silhouette staff attended the judgement hearing of R. v Scott Watter on Dec. 15.
The complainant, a PhD student in the PNB department, alleged that Watter had sexually assaulted her on five occasions in 2017. Watter, her former undergraduate professor with whom she later developed a friendship with during her PhD study, was charged with sexual assault and sexual assault causing bodily harm in mid-2020.
Camara explained to the Hamilton court that the Crown was able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that four sexual acts occurred. However, evidence that the student did not consent to the acts did not meet the burden of proof. Camara also stated that the student was an unreliable and incredible witness due to inconsistencies between what she said to the police, to The Spectator, during testimony in the trial and in text messages between herself and Watter.
Camara pointed to an example of contradicting narratives between the student’s testimony and text message exchanges between the student and Watter.
“The issue is that [the complainant] testified that she was never interested in a romantic relationship with Dr. Watter, but text messages demonstrate she communicated about the progression of the romantic relationship and even talked about renting an apartment together,” said Camara.
Camara stated that the inconsistencies, though they did not directly concern consent, dealt with witness credibility. She stated that she could not rely solely on the student’s testimony without corroboration from external evidence.
Camara stated that the complainant could have a motive to fabricate, based on a statement she made about having the ability to ruin Watter’s life.
Additionally, Camara explained that the Crown was not able to establish that Watter misused his dominant position to extract or persuade consent.
“There is no doubt that the relationship was ill-advised, but there is not ground beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Camara.
Moreover, the judge stated that the complainant appeared to control the narrative. Camara explained that during cross-examination, when explaining events that occurred, the complainant would also analyze reasons for inconsistencies from a psychological perspective, instead of solely explaining what occurred. Camara stated that in those instances, she was providing a testimony of expert opinion that she was not qualified to give during the hearings.
“[The complainant’s testimony] appeared as if she had an agenda providing the details of her experience, rather than being a witness to an event who was providing this court with the most accurate record of what occurred,” said Camara.
In an interview with the Hamilton Spectator, the victim stated that she was disappointed by the decision and that her case demonstrates flaws in the legal system that can protect the powerful and privileged. She also stated that she would use her experience to continue to help other sexual assault victims.
Watter was placed on paid administrative leave during the trial. As of publication, McMaster has not made an official statement on Watter’s future employment status.
If you are a survivor of sexual violence and need support, please see the following McMaster and Hamilton resources:
Sexual Violence Intake Offices
Sexual Violent Supports
The Silhouette provides background information on Scott Watter’s sexual assault allegations and an update for the October 19 trial
cw: sexual harassment, sexual assault, grooming, depictions of mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm
This article serves as an update piece to our previous coverage of the former McMaster University associate professor Scott Watter case. The content within this article may be upsetting or triggering as it deals with sexual harassment, sexual assault, grooming, depictions of mental illness, substance abuse and self-harm. For a list of resources, please see the bottom of the article.
Background
In February 2020, Scott Watter, an associate professor in the department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour, was placed on nondisciplinary leave of absence without loss of pay and barred from campus following allegations of breaches of McMaster’s sexual violence policy.
On June 18, 2020, Watter was arrested on charges of sexual assault and sexual assault causing bodily harm for incidents in 2017 involving a female student.
From late July to late September 2020, six new allegations of sexual violence policy breaches surfaced, involving three PNB department faculty members, a graduate student and two staff members.
On Nov. 26, 2020, the university released a 15-page summary report of a five-month-long systemic review of the PNB department conducted by Toronto law firm Rubin Thomlinson LLP. According to the report, some students described the culture of the department as friendly and social, while others expressed noticing a lack of boundaries between students and faculty. Some survey participants also expressed that this lack of boundaries allowed faculty to engage in sexually inappropriate behaviours.
The report alleged that more than 25 individuals described hearing or witnessing behaviour that could have been characterized as sexual harassment. Further, the report found that some participants who tried to address these concerns felt continually dismissed by the PNB department. The university did not release the full 74-page report, citing solicitor-client privilege.
Spectator Interview
The victim publicly recounted her history with Watter in a Hamilton Spectator exclusive interview in May 2021, addressing that she hoped that she would get justice from the university, but no further actions had been taken at the time.
She described meeting Watter when she was an undergrad student in a second-year course, where he had the reputation of a “cool prof” that would drink with students and have them over for dinners. She described their relationship as strictly professional until 2014 when she started dating an older grad student. The victim and her girlfriend developed a close relationship with Watter and his wife, participating in dinner and board games night at Watter’s house once or twice a month.
She alleged that in April 2017, Watter kissed her without her consent and then made further sexual advances. In May 2017, after a dinner and board games night, she alleged that he offered to walk her home because she was drunk and then sexually assaulted her.
She recounted instances of self-harm throughout the weeks and months after the sexual assault as her mental health deteriorated. She alleged Watter encouraged her cutting and asked for pictures. The victim also alleged that Watter sexually assaulted her after an act of self-harm.
She described how her mental health deteriorated and led to a leave of absence in June. During this time, she would text Watter for support. She recounted her dependence on Watter during this time as due to his manipulation and reassurances towards her.
She described two other alleged sexual assaults in the summer and fall of 2017. She alleged multiple times throughout the interviews with the Spectator that she did not consent to any sexual activity with Watter.
In the following years, she avoided Watter on McMaster campus and tried to put the alleged sexual assault and grooming instances behind her. However, in early 2020, she was connected to a female former PNB grad student who told the victim that she was allegedly sexually assaulted and harassed by Watter as well. This prompted the victim to come forward with her story to the university.
The former student also informed the university of her story and filed a civil suit against McMaster.
In June 2021, the university claimed to find only one sexual violence policy violation after investigating the multiple allegations in 2020. During the same month, the university confirmed that Watter violated the sexual violence policy, the discrimination and harassment policy and McMaster’s faculty code of conduct. The university was recommended to dismiss the former professor, based on an investigation decision letter. As of article publication, Scott Watter remains on paid administrative leave and made $169,577 in 2021.
The Trial
Watter pled not guilty to two charges of sexual assault on Aug. 12, 2021. During the judge-only trials, in front of Justice Amanda Camara, that began on May 18, 2022, the victim testified that Watter had allegedly sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions while she was not sober. She also testified to the Crown that she had not consented to any physical contact with Watter.
On May 19, the defence questioned the accuracy of the victim’s memory. The victim testified that she went to The Spectator after she was displeased with the university’s investigation process. Additionally, she stated that she planned on coming forward after she finished her PhD and left the university. However, she decided to come forward earlier due to another student sharing similar experiences about Watter with the victim.
On May 20, the defence continued to question the victim’s memory. They alleged that she had unreliable and inaccurate memories of the events due to discrepancies between transcripts from police interviews and the interviews with the Spectator. They also suggested that she initiated the kiss in the April 2017 incident.
On June 13, the defence suggested that the victim was interested in an intimate relationship with Watter after the April 2017 incident, based on texts between the two. The victim testified that she was confused about her relationship with Watter, claiming that she had a dual relationship with him not only as a mentor and friend but also as the man who sexually assaulted her.
According to the Spectator coverage of the July 26 and 28 trial, the defence suggested that the victim was trying to reconstruct past events to justify texts between herself and Watter. According to the defence, the texts appeared to show that both parties had similar views about their relationship and consented to intimate activities. The victim claimed that she would agree or joke with Watter as a defence mechanism and made clear to the judge that she was mentally ill and had an extreme drinking problem at the time as well. She added that she did not want to lose Watter’s support during her mental health crisis as well.
October 19 Trial Update
Assistant Crown attorney Nancy Flynn argued that the victim stated she did not give any consent for each sexual assault incident and. Flynn further argued that if the court found otherwise, there were factors that prevented her from giving consent, such as the victim’s extreme intoxication, significant mental health crises and relationship with Watter as an authority figure.
Flynn alleged that Watter abused his position of authority in the student-teacher relationship between the victim and Watter. Further, Flynn highlighted that Watter had power over the victim’s source of income, as he had control over her teaching assistant assignment and was also paying her to teach piano to his son. Watter was also teaching a required course in her PhD program.
Additionally, she argued that Watter would act as an informal therapist to the victim during her mental health crises, which provided further evidence about the position of trust and authority he had with her.
“The accused used the vulnerability of [the victim’s] mental health crisis and extreme intoxications to his advantage to induce her consent for sexual activity,” said Flynn.
She alleged that Watter encouraged the state of mind she was in during her mental health conditions.
In rebuttal to the defence’s argument that past texts indicated a consensual relationship, Flynn argued that texts were irrelevant to consider at the time, since consent is specific to the duration of the incidents.
The defence described how the victim lacked credibility due to contradictions between the testimony provided in court, the interview with the Spectator and their police testimony. Flynn argued against the defence’s questioning of the victim’s credibility. She stated that the victim was credible and reliable based on her consistency in testimony, accuracy of evidence and the lack of an ulterior motive. She also claimed there were multiple pieces of evidence that backed claims where she was not able to recall the entire incident.
Flynn argued that gaps in memory due to intoxication do not diminish the reliability of evidence provided, especially if there are text messages and photos to verify the victim’s account of events.
The trial judgement will resume on Dec. 15, 2022.
This is an ongoing story.
If you are a survivor of sexual violence and need support, please see the following McMaster and Hamilton resources:
Sexual Violence Intake Offices
Sexual Violent Supports
Things to remember on the journey of (re)discovering sex
By: Matthew Aksamit, contributor
CW: sexual assault, rape culture
This is written from the personal perspective of the writer. Everyone’s experience looks and feels different and can by no means be blanketed by a single perspective. This article has been edited by The Silhouette and Student Health Education Centre for clarity.
Right off the bat, I feel the need to clarify what I mean by sexual assault. After all, we are in a capitalist institution in which the normalization of rape culture is not only perpetuated, but also thrives — the university. I have heard countless “justifications” of assault: they were drinking or otherwise intoxicated; they were wearing provocative clothing; they were alone in a bad neighbourhood; or it does not count because it was their partner. The list goes on. There are also complexities when it comes to legal definitions of assault.
So, when I say this article is primarily for survivors of sexual assault, who am I talking about? Ultimately, I am talking about anyone who believes I am talking about them. If you are vocal about your experience or hesitant to share it, if you have pursued legal measures or if you have not, if you feel that twinge in your stomach every time you hear the word assault, or if you do not even know what to call your experience, if you are someone who has had a non-consensual encounter of a sexual nature, this is for you. These are the things I wish I knew and while I know it will not fix everything, I hope it helps.
Sexual desire after assault manifests differently for every survivor!
While some individuals may experience a reduced sexual drive (hyposexuality) as a result of sexual assault, some may experience the opposite (hypersexuality). It is important to note that both, in addition to falling anywhere on the spectrum of sexual desire, are equally valid reactions to trauma. The way you feel after assault should never be used to diminish or invalidate your experience. My personal experience manifested in hypersexuality and represented an effort to reclaim control over a narrative in which I previously didn’t have it.
Boundaries are your new best friend!
No, really! They are there to help make sure you are doing what makes you feel safe, comfortable and sexy. Boundaries are interlocked with consent and both are necessary to ensure a) this is sex, which requires consent to differentiate it from trauma and/or assault and b) you get to do the things that actively excite and please you!
Boundaries also extend far beyond the realm of sex and practicing establishing boundaries in other areas of your life, such as saying “no” to an event you really do not want to attend, can help make it feel more natural.
Give yourself time and space to mourn and heal!
One of the things I struggled with most after being assaulted was what to do after. I am very much the kind of person to try and shrug things off, get back to work and bury myself in things. Unfortunately, this meant I never really processed the trauma until it started affecting me months later. I had nightmares, panic attacks and, above all, I was confused as to what I should do.
This is where giving myself a space to mourn and heal came in. Creating a safe(r) space for myself meant surrounding myself with close friends who gave me their support and presence when it came to seeking medical care and contacting a mental health professional and a doctor. I was lucky enough to be able to see a therapist for free for a few months. Through these sessions I was able to talk through my experiences while being heard, supported and validated, all of which were necessary in my journey.
I also realize, however, that therapy is not available for everyone due to financial and other barriers, so I would also like to mention some free local and campus-based resources: the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) offers a 24/7 survivor support line, the Student Health Education Centre offers anonymous, confidential pregnancy testing, peer support and referrals to local services, the Women and Gender Equity Network offers support to all victims of sexual and gender-based violence and the Pride Community Centre offers support to 2SLGBTQIA+ and questioning individuals. The Student Wellness Centre also offers valuable resources to students.
You deserve peace and goodness!
When I was assaulted, in some twisted way, I thought I somehow deserved it. I thought it was my fault and I was ultimately responsible for my own unhappiness. I struggled and, to this day, struggle with the notion that I am a bad person. While this has not completely faded from my life, one of the things that has helped has been trying to take note of the inherent dignity I have and deserve because I am a human being. I am not perfect but in no way does this make me at fault for the situations in which I was taken advantage of.
So, what does sex after assault look like? Well, it looks different for everybody. What is important to remember is healing happens at a different pace for everyone and your path is not abnormal because it does not line up with someone else’s. And remember, as long as there is consent, there is no such thing as doing sex wrong! Explore, have fun and know you deserve all the light the sun has to offer.
Allegations highlight the need for systemic and cultural change around sexual violence and discrimination.
CW: sexual assault
The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour has now penalized five indiviudals, including at least four suspensions from campus and their positions, due to allegations under the Sexual Violence Policy and the Discrimination and Harassment Policy. Investigations first began in February, when news arose that an associate professor, Scott Watter, was suspended. In June, Watter was charged with two counts of sexual assault that occurred in 2017.
On July 28, David Farrar, president of McMaster University, released a letter stating that the school will be conducting an investigation into the department’s underlying cultural and systemic issues.
“McMaster will not tolerate any behaviour that threatens the security and safety of any member of our campus community. I recognize the courage of the complainants who have come forward, and I want to assure them that their allegations will be fully and fairly investigated and that appropriate action will be taken,” wrote Farrar.
While the university has stated they will be conducting an investigation, services around campus such as the McMaster Students Union’s Women and Gender Equity Network look to see what action will be taken to support survivors of sexual violence. WGEN is a service that offers a support group run by and catered to survivors. The content of the support groups are dictated by those within the group and it is entirely peer-run. By doing so, the service encourages an environment where survivors are given the chance to seek support in a way they desire.
Speaking to the Silhouette about improvements regarding the implementation of survivor-centric practices, Yimeng Wang, coordinator of WGEN, said that although the school may be doing its best to support survivors, policies by nature are inflexible. This can put limitations on how much emphasis is truly placed on survivors and their individual needs.
Wang believes that putting in place survivor-centric practices means giving autonomy to the person who has been harmed. Allowing survivors to ask for accountability from the person who has caused harm in a way that they desire is an important part of providing them with adequate support.
Wang believes that putting in place survivor-centric practices means giving autonomy to the person who has been harmed. Allowing survivors to ask for accountability from the person who has caused harm in a way that they desire is an important part of providing them with adequate support.
Wang also added that the limitations of policies does not excuse the harm that the school may create.
“Neither [the sexual violence policy and the discrimination and harassment policy] are policies sufficient for creating survivor-centric spaces — that comes from constantly practicing support and listening to survivors' needs. If harm has been caused in the past, forgiveness or changes in perspective are not owed to the institution that has caused that harm regardless of changes that have occurred since then,” said Wang.
Along with the ongoing investigation, protests to defund the police have been occurring across the nation, including within the city of Hamilton. At McMaster, many students have been calling for the termination of Glenn De Caire, McMaster’s head of parking and security services, due to concerns of discrimination and racial profiling.
In addition to discrimination issues, there are concerns from students around how security services responds to disclosures of sexual violence.
Wang added that the ways we address harm are often tied to punitive measures and security services.
“While some survivors may feel safe and want to take the approach of disclosing to Security Services and police, a lot of survivors have very rightful concerns and harmful associations and experiences with those systems, especially when we look at the specific people in power at Security Services at McMaster right now. There are ways in which those ties make it more harmful for survivors to disclose,” said Wang.
Advocating for the removal of campus police, a group known as De Caire Off Campus recently shared via social media regarding the harm that special constables have on survivors’ disclosure experience. The group noted that students have experienced accusations of lying as well as dissuasion to press charges. In addition, the group shared several alleged reported incidents of campus police abusing their power, making the service ill-equipped to handle sexual violence.
CW sexual violence
(THREAD) In light of instances of sexual violence becoming public, @McMasterU has put forward McMaster Security Services as a “resource.” What do students have to say about special constables’ approach to safety for survivors? 1/ https://t.co/RrBwulexI9
— De Caire Off Campus (@copfreecampus) August 11, 2020
As students begin their fall semester, the investigation into the department of psychology, neuroscience and behaviour progresses while groups such as De Caire Off Campus continue to call for the termination of the special constable program.
As the investigation unfolds, McMaster has suggested that those in need of support can reach out to resources such as:
cw: References to sexual assault
If you were near Hamilton City Hall at around 6 p.m. on Sept. 19, you would have heard throngs of people yelling “revolution!”. If you had taken a closer look, you would have seen Danielle Boissoneau, the coordinator for Take Back The Night, standing behind a microphone on a makeshift stage and prompting each shout from the crowd with an exuberant “joyful!”
Together, they formed a chorus — a call honouring this year’s Take Back The Night theme: Joyful Revolution Always.
Take Back The Night is an annual event organized in Hamilton by the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton), a non-profit organization that supports survivors of sexual assault. Traditionally, Take Back The Night has been an opportunity for women and gender non-conforming folks in the community to speak out against sexual violence and to advocate on behalf of survivors. It has also celebrated with music, performances, art and tables for local organizations that support women and non-binary folks.
The first instance of Take Back The Night in Hamilton dates back to 1981. This year marks the event’s 38th year in the city and its first year in recent history without a march.
The Take Back The Night march began as a symbolic protest to the violence that women experienced when walking alone at night. Since then, it has grown into a method of raising awareness of all forms of violence in the community as well as a way to show support for survivors.
On Sept. 12, however, SACHA released a statement on their blog to announce that they decided not to march this time. The organization cited safety as a main concern, though the matter swiftly became a discussion of not only safety, but also about relationships with the Hamilton city police.
“On Sept. 4, 2019, the Take Back the Night (TBTN)Committee hosted a ‘TBTN Community Townhall on Safety’ — we wanted to hear right from the community what safety looks like for them … What was interesting was that no one mentioned the police as a place of safety,” wrote a representative from SACHA in their official statement.
The situation snowballed into a series of meetings. In consideration of the feedback and turnout from previous Take Back The Night events, SACHA attended a meeting with Ward 3 Councillor Nrinder Nann, intending to ask for four street lanes to be closed instead of the one lane that Take Back The Night attendees used in previous marches. They were surprised to find out they were not allowed to follow the usual route used in previous Take Back The Night events.
In an effort to reach a compromise, an alternate route for the march was proposed. However, this second option required the inclusion of five paid duty officers, an unexpected fee that SACHA was unable to pay. In a prior Take Back The Night event, the city had provided SACHA with funding for three officers. There had been no such offer this year.
“We took it upon ourselves to revisit the table with the city and the police. We tried to work out an agreement … and then the agreement started to fall into bad faith negotiations, because they started trying to sneak in things at the last minute that were not acceptable,” said Boissoneau.
In the end, SACHA decided it was best to cancel the march.
Lisa Colbert of the Woman Abuse Working Group said she had not been sure at first about SACHA’s decision. As she prepared her organization’s table for the event, she admitted that the march was something she enjoyed. However, although the energy might feel different this time, she recognized that to march despite the predicament with the police would be to do the opposite of empowering those who were marching.
Similarly, Kat Williams of the Workers’ Arts and Heritage Centre said that a successful partnership with the police and all public servants would not be possible while those in power continued not to listen.
“In order to serve the people who are in the margins, the people who are suffering — those are the people we need to elevate. It’s especially important for the police industry to listen to those people, and I don’t think that has happened at many gatherings recently,” she added, taking care to emphasize that her views do not necessarily represent that of her organization.
In the same regard, Gachi Issa of the McMaster Womanists expressed support for SACHA’s decision. Taking into account Canada’s history with the police, she believed SACHA did the right thing by prioritizing the needs of the most marginalized communities.
With this in mind, Issa said that the presence of the police was always something that should be contested.
“The police had never been safe for the most marginalized communities and have been created and set up in a way to marginalize us further and to kill us. My hesitation is to always critique the involvement of police and police presence,” Issa said.
For Boissoneau, the change in this year’s Take Back The Night event was a reminder for community members to hold institutions accountable. Institutions like the police and SACHA, she said, must focus on their responsibilities to the people.
When asked whether she believed the cancellation of the march had a profound effect on Take Back The Night this year, Boissoneau stated that it had. She admitted the people were disappointed about not having a march — but this disappointment, at the same time, was causing them to re-evaluate how they defined reclamation.
“A lot of people are like, we must march to be able to be powerful. I don’t necessarily think that that’s true. I think that people have the ability to reclaim their autonomy … There’s so many different ways to do it. Marching is only one of those ways,” said Boissoneau.
Jessica Bonilla-Damptey, SACHA’s director, did not agree that there was a palpable difference. She acknowledged that the march had always been a big component of Take Back The Night but that despite its absence, joy was the dominant feeling in this year’s event.
“I am seeing lots of folks — folks from everywhere, all different nationalities, all different walks of life, all different languages. Everyone is smiling, everybody’s participating. Everybody’s around the tables, looking at what kind of resources are available in our community and everybody’s celebrating … I see joy and I hear joy around me,” she explained.
For Bonilla-Damptey, the priority was to embody this year’s theme of joyful revolution. The importance was in the community coming together to celebrate each other and show support for survivors, regardless of the role that the police played in the event-planning process and regardless of what might have been different this year.
Issa felt that the same sentiment was applicable to the idea of community care.
“We are safe because of each other. Not because of police or because of security. We make each other safe. In order to get to a revolution, we have to be able to sustain each other and to find joy within each other,” she said.
On Sept. 19, there were no buses waiting to accommodate people who could not march alongside the assemblage and, as the sun set over Hamilton City hall, there was no crowd following SACHA’s usual route.
There was, however, music and spoken word. There were tables that belonged to groups that supported women-identifying and non-binary folks. There were t-shirts and there were signs that said We Believe You and Empower Others.
Despite the aftermath of SACHA’s nuanced relationship with the police, Bonilla-Damptey stressed that one facet left unchanged in this year’s Take Back The Night was its ability to facilitate connections within the community.
Attendees lined up for food. They took buttons and pens as they stopped at each table to speak to the person running it. They gathered to hear the story of Lucy, an elderly survivor for whom the crowd chanted, “We believe Lucy!”
People tend to believe, according to Boissoneau, that revolution began at an individual level. She argued, however, that when individuals get together and collectively reclaim their space, as hundreds of people did on Take Back The Night — that was revolution.
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By: Steffi Arkilander
Content Warning: Contains mentions of sexual assault
McMaster University has a strong reputation among Ontario universities for offering a variety of diverse student-oriented resources and supports. However, McMaster has consistently failed in making support for sexual violence survivors accessible and effective.
On Aug. 19, I was sexually assaulted by someone I trusted, just a few weeks before I started my second year at McMaster. I decided to give university resources a chance and reached out to the sexual violence response coordinator, Meaghan Ross, in October.
I needed academic accommodations to support the extensive and difficult emotional turmoil I was experiencing. My grades were falling and I was not ready to write any tests. To receive academic accommodations, I had to use Ross in my letter for Student Accessibility Services, which meant disclosing my sexual assault to numerous administrative individuals.
Unfortunately, getting registered with SAS is a long process and often my deferred midterms fell on days where I had other assessments or midterms. As a result, instead of my work being manageably spread out, my work and emotional distress were compounded together.
In December, I decided to report my assault to the university. Not only was it unfair to me to have to constantly interact with my perpetrator, but it was also unfair to other students that had to interact with him. But when I contacted the McMaster Students Union and the Residence Life Office, I learned that undergoing the reporting processes is an extensive and exhausting endeavour.
The process forces you to disclose your story to multiple organizations, to staff and non-survivors and brings your sexual assault to the public forefront. Even if my perpetrator is removed from positions without contact from me, he will know I caused his removal and that I decided to take action. Moreover, people will be able to piece my story together. While I am personally okay with this, many others are not.
Thus, to receive accommodations,such as an apology or to remove him from a position, I took the informal route that is offered through the McMaster University sexual violence protocol. To my disappointment, this route requires survivors to detail the incident. This creates an incredibly re-traumatizing experience and gives your perpetrator access to your disclosure, allowing them to reject the requested accommodations.
This process has clearly become incredibly legal, despite pursuing the university route in order to avoid legal involvement. As this process is painfully slow, my perpetrator continues to hold positions of power and interact with the student body without consequence. My perpetrator is free to roam campus while I am forced to anxiously avoid him.
My story is not uncommon. In fact, in comparison to other survivors, the university has responded well. Students generally don’t report their sexual assaults because of the university’s response; the survivor often feels interrogated and is led to hope for an unsatisfactory compromise with their perpetrator.
Survivors need to be prioritized. MacLean’s nationwide survey found that 29 per cent of McMaster students were not educated on how to report a sexual assault and 24 per cent of students weren’t educated on McMaster’s services that support survivors. This needs to change.
The system should be more navigable and transparent, so that survivors are more likely to reach out for help. Reporting assaults needs to be standardized university-wide so that survivors do not need to recount their experience to multiple organizations.
Training does not teach perpetrators not to assault people. My perpetrator has attended over five trainings on anti-oppressive practices and sexual violence throughout university.
Instead, training needs to emphasize on supporting survivors, and tangible means by which we can all work to dismantle the barriers impeding support mechanisms. The fact that only three in 1000 assaults results in conviction only becomes horrifyingly real when you have to support a survivor or become one yourself.
Survivors have nothing to gain from reporting, only lots to lose. So please believe us.
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CW: This article contains discussion of sexual assault
By: Drew Simpson
On Oct. 30, Tarana Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement, spoke at the McIntyre Centre at an event organized by McMaster University, Mohawk College and the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton).
Inside the event centre was a well-lit stage with fall-coloured flowers matching the red Mohawk College logo. Three cream chairs sat in the centre in front of the Mohawk-patterned backdrop. A podium with a microphone stood to the left of the stage. Many sat in silence as others chatted with those next to them, adding to the layer of slight tension hanging in the air as people piled into the sold-out auditorium.
The event was not about the need to bring perpetrators to justice. Rather, it aligned more neatly with the core goals of the #MeToo movement, focusing on healing and survivor advocacy. Burke addressed the backlash against the movement and urged the audience to look past it.
“Everything that would tell you that #MeToo is a witch-hunt, that this is a gender war. All of these terrible narratives that are out in the world are distractions from the reality that a year ago, millions and millions of people raised their hand to say that their lives were affected by sexual violence. That is no hyperbole. Millions of people raised their hand a year ago. And their hands are still up,” said Burke.
Burke also stressed the need for a restorative justice and harm-reduction approach in survivor advocacy.
“We need our hearts to pump and that doesn’t just come from food, clothes and shelter… That is the core of this work, making sure survivors have individual resources for healing and making sure that they have community. Individual healing and community, that is how we will change the world. We start with ourselves and work out,” said Burke.
Burke also introduced the idea of a “joy bank,” which she defined as the accumulation of all the joyful moments in life. She explained how she drew hope from the people who joined the march and protest proceeding Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing. That moment became part of Burke’s “joy bank.”
Burke explained that a movement has many stages and waves and she draws hope not just from the victories but the investment that people make. She encouraged the audience to challenge opposers of the movement and survivors to do whatever they need to heal not for others, but for themselves as self-care is specific to the individual.
“Sometimes self-care for me looks like a “Law and Order” marathon and a pound cake,” said Burke.
Support is integral to a survivor’s individual healing. According to Burke, while a survivor’s needs may change, it is important that they know that support is there in the first place. Nevertheless, Burke warns that well-intentioned people can insert themselves into situations where their help is not needed.
Overall, it is clear that Burke’s main message focused on the importance on individual healing and harm reduction. According to Burke, the incarceration of the perpetrator should not always be thought of as the final answer as a restorative justice approach focused on healing needs to be taken.
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By Maanvi Dhillon
*CW: This article contains discussion of sexual assault*
[spacer height="20px"]During the summer, an Ontario Superior Court Justice ruled in support of an accused person’s right to use extreme intoxication as a defence in sexual assault cases. The rule has implications on campus as McMaster University continues to make progress in providing adequate support for victims, training for staff and responses to sexual assault cases.
Justice Spies’ ruling was not the first of its kind. According to The Globe and Mail, the Supreme Court ruled in 1994 that extreme drunkenness could be a defence to sexual assault, and several judges have agreed since, despite a federal law that attempted to counter the ruling and prevent the use of the defence. Nevertheless, the recent decision has evoked condemnation as many fear it could undo years of work in advancing the rights of sexual assault victims.
Meaghan Ross, the university’s sexual violence response coordinator, explains that the decision adds to the barriers for survivors who are willing to access the justice system. In addition, it can worsen the psychological and emotional effects of assault by perpetuating victim-blaming myths.
“Many survivors internalize widespread victim-blaming myths, such as the false belief that a survivor is responsible for the sexual assault perpetrated against them,” she said. “This can create lots of confusion and shame and can have the effect of discouraging survivors from disclosing the sexual assault, along with many other barriers to disclosing they encounter.”
Ross also notes that while the legal technicalities of the ruling are important, public discussion will also have a long-standing impact.
According to the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton), only one in three Canadians understand what sexual consent means. With public attention paid to this ruling, more and more people will hear about it and potentially develop misunderstandings about their responsibility for their actions while intoxicated.
From her experience working at McMaster, Ross says she commonly gets asked questions about the relationship between alcohol and consent.
“Another concern sexual violence advocates share is whether the ruling may adequately consider individuals who intentionally use alcohol to facilitate sexual assault, as well as what message may be sent to individuals who make irresponsible and harmful behaviour choices when alcohol is involved,” she said.
Many of the barriers to justice for sexual assault victims are higher for marginalized communities, including racialized women, LGBTQ+ women, Indigenous women and women with disabilities.
“[It is important to] understand the complexity of sexual assault impacts on a diversity of survivors, especially those from most socially marginalized communities who experience sexual violence at disproportionately higher rates,” said Ross.
Currently, it is unclear whether the federal or provincial government will try to contest the ruling. However, the decision will likely remain for some time.
Ross emphasizes the power that students have to participate in relevant conversations and voice their concerns. In particular, she commends the work that various student groups are doing to advocate for better sexual assault and violence policies on campus as the university strives to develop a “survivor-centred approach” to handling these instances.
She also encourages students to get involved in activism off campus, including protests against the repeal of provincial sex education, student organizations like OurTurn and Silence is Violence and campaigns by student advocacy groups like Ontario University Student Alliance and the Canadian Federation of Students.
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[spacer height="20px"]These past few weeks have been tough to watch.
On Sept. 27, Prof. Christine Blasey Ford gave a testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee against Judge Brett Kavanaugh, whom she says sexually assaulted her when they were teenagers.
Since Prof. Blasey Ford spoke out, three more women have made similar reports against Kavanaugh, who, by the time this piece is published, may be elected as a sitting Judge on the Supreme Court of the United States.
As of Friday, Sept. 28, Kavanaugh’s election has been halted and the matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who have only one week and a limited number of resources to conduct the investigation. The Senate Judiciary Committee, however, hopes the investigation will come to a close sooner.
It may be hard to think about how politics in the U.S. affect us here in Canada, but it’s not hard to understand that if Kavanaugh is elected as a member of the Supreme Court, survivors everywhere are being told that their stories don’t matter.
Out of every 1,000 instances of reported rape, 994 rapists walk free, according to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and Bureau of Justice Statistics. Only one out of every three instances of rape are reported, and only two to 10 per cent of reported rapes are false reports.
Let’s bring it closer to home. In 2017, it was reported by the Globe and Mail’s Unfounded investigation that police in Hamilton and Halton dismissed 30 per cent of sex assault claims over a five-year period as "unfounded," a far larger statistic than the national average of 19 per cent.
An “unfounded” report indicates the investigating officer does not believe a crime was attempted or happened. Once an allegation is categorized as unfounded, it effectively disappears from public record.
In a world whereby an old boys’ club is in charge of what happens to abusers, a world whereby survivors who speak out are harassed, not believed or threatened, it’s no question as to why survivors take their time in reporting instances of assault. It’s also no question as to why survivors don’t report their assault at all.
If we really do condemn the actions of abusers, let’s see it. If we really do want to create a space where survivors feel comfortable reporting their assault, let’s do it.
If we really do believe survivors, let’s believe survivors.[spacer height="20px"]
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