16 universities and 19 student associations launch the first provincial campaign Sans oui, c’est non!

Montreal, March 16th 2016 – The representatives of 16 university establishments and 19 university student associations representing close to 185,000 students, are preparing to launch a provincial campaign aiming at student awareness about sexual harassment, violence and consent. This campaign uses ‘‘Sans oui, c’est non!’’ as its slogan.

For many years, the topic of sexual violence has made its way in the public eye through various media coverage. More specifically, this problem has been shown to be present in many universities all over the world. This shines a light on the importance of developing common strategies to fight sexual violence on Quebec campuses and to modify student’s behaviours and views with regards to sexual consent and violence.

It’s in the presence of the campaigns two spokespeople, rapper Koriass and the columnist Véronique Grenier, and also many rectors, directors and student representatives that the launch was announced.

“Many studies show that close to one woman out of three will be victim of sexual assault and that between 15% and 25% of students on American campuses will suffer such crimes. I am proud to lend my voice to the first provincial initiative against sexual violence on university campuses,“ declared Mrs. Grenier.

“It is important to change our mentalities and behaviours with regards to sexual violence. Sans oui, c’est non! is a good starting point for this and necessary for cultural changes,“ added Koriass.

The campaign Sans oui, c’est non! was created in December 2014 from a collaboration between Université de Montréal, its centre for harassment intervention, BIMH, and its student federation, FAÉCUM. This campaign aims to prevent sexual violence including harassment, assaults and other inappropriate sexual conduct by using awareness tools dedicated to the entire university population. The campaign brings to light the question of sexual consent and the resources that are available.

“With the launch of the provincial campaign Sans oui, c’est non!, the partnering universities show their dedication to the eradication of unacceptable behaviours on their campuses by changing the ways of thinking of the entirety of Quebec university’s population”, explained Michael Goldbloom, C.M., Principal of Bishop’s.

Over the next few weeks, the different universities will deploy many messages and awareness tools throughout their campuses and demonstrate their will in creating a Quebec wide study, as well as work and everyday environments free of unacceptable behaviours.

Each university will also present a plan of awareness activities during the launch week and throughout the year.

For more information about the provincial campaign, please visit the web site:
www.sansouicestnon.ca

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For information:
Pascal Lebel
Press liaison
514-590-6135  or pol@faecum.qc.ca

Source:
Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire;
Université de Montréal;
Fédération des associations étudiantes du campus de l’UdeM (FAÉCUM);
École Polytechnique de Montréal;
Association étudiante de Polytechnique (AEP);
Association générale des étudiants et des étudiantes de l’éducation permanente de l’Université de Montréal (AGEEFEP);
Association étudiante des cycles supérieurs de Polytechnique (AECSP);
Association étudiante du HEC (AEHEC);
Institut national de la recherche scientifique;
Fédération étudiante de l’INRS (FEINRS);
Université Bishop’s;
Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue;
Association générale étudiante de l’UQAT (AGEUQAT);
HEC Montréal;
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières;
Association générale étudiante de l’UQTR (AGEUQTR);
Université du Québec à Montréal;
Association des étudiantes et étudiants de la Faculté des sciences de l’éducation de l’UQAM (ADEESE);
Association étudiante de l’École des Sciences de la gestion (AEESG);
École de technologie supérieure;
Association étudiante de l’ETS (AEETS);
Université du Québec à Chicoutimi;
Mouvement des Associations Générales Étudiantes de l’UQAC (MAGE-UQAC);
Université du Québec à Rimouski;
Université du Québec en Outaouais;
Assemblée générale étudiante de l’UQO (AGEUQO);
Université Laval;
Confédération des associations d’étudiants et étudiantes de l’ULaval (CADEUL);
Association des étudiantes et étudiants de Laval aux études supérieures (AELIÉS);
Université McGill;
Student’s Society of McGill University;
Post Graduate Student’s Society of McGill University;
Université de Sherbrooke;
Fédération étudiante de l’UdeS (FEUS);
Regroupement des étudiantes et des étudiants de maîtrise, de diplôme et de doctorat de l’UdeS (REMDUS);
Université Concordia;
Graduate Students Association of University Concordia (GSA).