COMMUNITY SAFETY
"The work of the ASGBV Working Group has been to set up measures for evaluation of the GBV Policy as it passed on May 1, 2020. However, The Safe Campus Community Policy has not been updated since May 1, 2008. This policy needs to be updated to ensure that there are checks and measures in place to keep campus safer for our whole community. Aside from updating the policy, there are many ways that we can create a safer campus community and adopt a framework that is survivor-centric."
FOCUS
UBER Safe Pickups
Getting home at night has always been a concern for students, Footpatrol only runs so late. Therefore, I will advocate for UBER safe pickups at every building possible, this will allow students to wait indoors and get home safely without having to walk to Alumni or Social Science. This will be passed through a recommendation through the Safety & Facilities Management Working Group.
The Mustang Express
Seeing as UBER only supports students who have the financial means to use its services, the USC must commit to an affordable way to get students home after hours. The Mustang Express is an under-used resource, it can be better used by setting up a Mustang Express Route through campus on the days that it does not go downtown. This will provide students with a free and safe way to go home, while at the same time encourages students to use the Mustang Express, on weekends when they are downtown.
Expansion of Foot Patrol
Foot Patrol currently is headquartered at the USC, this serves students on Main Campus as it is a central spot for students. However, Affiliate students are active on different campuses. In collaboration, and with the permission of the HBK Presidents we would set up an offshoot headquarters at one of their campuses.
Safe Spaces
Everyone on campus deserves to feel safe and comfortable. Through the Facilities Planning Committee, I will advocate for more gender-neutral washrooms across campus. These washrooms should include menstrual products, however, further research into the feasibility of this project under the current Purple Care guidelines is necessary. This will allow everyone to use whatever bathroom they feel most comfortable with. I will also advocate for genderqueer/non-binary hours at the Rec-Centre.
Community Bridging
Survivors sometimes need to take time off from school for very valid personal reasons. This means that they may be unable to access the same standards of care that they were able to access at Western, for many students they return to hometowns that are not close to Western. Therefore, I am committed to advocating for a bridging program, which will bridge survivor groups with resources in their hometowns, including information about how they can access these resources. This will be created through support from The Sexual Violence Committee.
Survivor Communities
Survivor communities are an important healing mechanism for people in collectivist cultures. These healing mechanisms have a history of working in certain BIPOC communities and prove to be a way of healing that challenges the western modality of individualistic healing practices. I will advocate to The Sexual Violence Committee for the creation of community-based resources.
