Province releases 10-year strategy to end sexual and gender-based violence
"We are looking forward to the government's commitment to addressing [SGBV] by supporting post-secondaries and their efforts to increase awareness and outreach," UASU Vice-president (student life) says.
Lily PolenchukOn May 13, the Government of Alberta released Building on our Strengths: Alberta’s 10-year Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence.
The strategy to end sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) contains initiatives specific to post-secondary institutions and First Nations colleges. These include increasing on-campus SGBV awareness campaigns and supporting prevention programs on Alberta post-secondary campuses.
The strategy cites a 2023 report from the market research company Leger on SGBV in Alberta post-secondary education. The report was created from the survey results of 12,948 students at 26 publicly-funded Alberta post-secondary institutions surveyed on SGBV. According to the report, 50 per cent of students surveyed had experienced SGBV since attending their post-secondary institution in Alberta.
The Gateway reached out to the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Status of Women for comment. A statement from the Minister of Arts, Culture, and Status of Women Tanya Fir was provided.
“50 per cent of students in Alberta reported experiencing some form of sexual violence while on campus. That’s unacceptable,” the statement read.
“Our strategy includes steps to improve education, reporting pathways, and support services in post-secondary institutions, with a focus on Indigenous-led solutions and engaging men and boys as partners in our solution,” according to Fir.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe where they live, work, and study. This strategy is about making that a reality — on campus and across Alberta.”
“We’re excited about the fact that [SGBV] is something that’s being taken seriously,” West says
Survey data from Leger on SGBV at the University of Alberta collected in 2023 indicates that “64 per cent of students have experienced some form of SGBV since becoming a student at U of A.” In 2023, the University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) created an internal political policy on sexual violence.
In an interview with The Gateway, UASU Vice-president (external) Abdul Abbasi said that the UASU will be having conversations with the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Status of Women and other Alberta student associations to better understand what the plan means for post-secondary students.
“I think the biggest aspect of [SGBV advocacy] is admitting that this is an issue, and I think that is the start,” Abbasi said.
Logan West, UASU vice-president (student life), expressed excitement about the commitments outlined in the plan.
“We’re excited about the fact that [SGBV] is something that’s being taken seriously,” West said. “We are looking forward to the government’s commitment to addressing [SGBV] by supporting post-secondaries and their efforts to increase awareness and outreach.”
West is the chair of the UASU SGBV Task Force. This initiative will bring together key interest-holders across U of A campuses to “ensure that diverse perspectives are informing the advocacy efforts at the SU,” West explained.
The SGBV Task Force will assess existing student supports and services to identify areas for improvement. Members of the SGBV Task Force will also review the UASU’s sexual violence policy and make recommendations for changes. Most of this work will be completed over the summer and fall, as the final report is set to be prepared for winter 2026, West said.
“I’m really looking forward to collaborating with a diverse group of people to address ways that we can increase awareness and prevention campaigns,” West added.
