Sexual violence concerns persist as efforts to keep Western Students safe continue
It has been over a month since social media posts claimed about 30 women were drugged and sexually assaulted during orientation week at Western University in London, Ont.
The allegations and subsequent concerns that were raised sparked promises for action against sexual and gender-based violence but safety remains a constant concern for many on campus.
"It's so sad to say that I can reflect on a moment in the last 48 hours of a situation that happened like that," says Tyra Cadogan, a second year Social Justice and Peace Studies student who attends both Western and King’s University College. "Gathering with some friends from university there was already a situation where multiple women felt unsafe."
A rally Tuesday outside Western’s University Community Centre launched three days of events organized by the Western University Students' Council.
"Enough is enough and it is time for change,” Students’ Council president Zamir Fakirani told the gathering.
Fakirani says he is encouraged by news that university administration has welcomed 21 recommendations from the students' council but says changes need to be made quickly, including expanding mandatory training beyond students entering residences.
"There should be no member of our campus community who doesn't have gender-based violence prevention and response training."
The “O” week allegations prompted a walkout and march on Sept. 17 that attracted thousands. Tuesday’s gathering was small but those on hand say it's important to continue the dialogue.
Bronwyn Lacey is a third-year student at Brescia University College majoring in Psychology with a minor in Gender Studies. She says even those passing by the event were receiving an important message, "People know there's supports and stuff like that. That's very powerful in itself.”
AnnaLise Trudell is with Anova, an agency working to end gender-based violence and give support to victims.
"We're never going to get there by preaching to the converted, preaching to those who already buy into the messages.” Trudell said. “Expanding the dialogue isn't always easy but it's imperative. We need to find a way into the cultures and subgroups of folks who are perpetrating these acts."
London police say they interviewed approximately 600 students with regards to the “O” week social media posts but could not substantiate those reports. They say the investigation is continuing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.