If You Receive A Disclosure of Sexual Violence:
Follow these steps:
- Assess Immediate Safety
- Inform the Individual Affected By Sexual Violence of Limitations to Confidentiality
- Listen Without Judgment
- Refer
If at any point, you are unsure on how to proceed, contact the Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator at sexualviolenceinfo@uleth.ca or 403-317-2862.
1. Assess Immediate Safety
If possible, ensure that the disclosure takes place somewhere the individual affected by sexual violence feels comfortable and where their privacy is heeded. Ask the individual affected by Sexual Violence if their immediate safety is at risk.
If the immediate safety of the individual affected by Sexual Violence or any other member of the community is at risk, contact Security Services at 403-329-2345 or call emergency services at 911.
If immediate safety is not at risk, ask the individual if they are somewhere they feel comfortable.
Please Note: Security Services will only contact Police Services with the consent of the individual who has been affected by Sexual Violence unless it is assessed that there is an imminent risk to the safety of an individual or the broader community.
2. Inform the Individual of Limitations to Confidentiality
You are encouraged to inform the person making the disclosure of any limits to confidentiality before they disclose identifying information. If you are unsure of any limitations to confidentiality, offer to refer the individual to the Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator and/or Counselling Services.
3. Listen Without Judgment
A supportive and validating initial response to disclosures of Sexual Violence often makes a significant difference for individuals affected by Sexual Violence who may be apprehensive about sharing deeply personal or difficult information.
Here are some ways to communicate support and concern:
• Let the individual maintain as much control over the pace of the disclosure as possible. Allow them to finish without interrupting and offer breaks when needed.
• Listen carefully to what the individual says and acknowledge the courage it took for them to come forward and share their experience.
• Do not make dismissive or victim blaming comments. Questioning the survivor's behavior or experience may result in the individual feeling judged, disbelieved, blamed or a range of other negative emotions.
• Refrain from asking the individual specific details about the incident. Intrusive questioning about the incident may cause the individual to feel that they are being interrogated and that you are not listening to what they are sharing with you.
• Avoid initiating physical contact with the individual without their consent. Some individuals may feel uncomfortable with physical contact following Sexual Violence.
• Create time and space for the individual to determine what decisions best suit their particular circumstances. Do not pressure them to make a decision or impose any decision on them.
4. Refer
An important part of supporting a person who has experienced Sexual Violence is to provide them with information about their options and the resources that are available to them. Navigating university and community resources after experiencing Sexual Violence can be difficult. You are encourage to support the individual in connecting with support resources and services.
Recommend that the individual affected by Sexual Violence contact the Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator. If the survivor would like to call the Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator or a community agency, offer to sit with them as they place the call.
Respect the individual’s choice of whether to report the incident(s) to Security Services or to Police Services. Do not report the incident(s) yourself. Do not pressure the survivor to seek further assistance if they decline to do so.
University of Lethbridge Sexual Violence Referral Sheet - Calgary Campus:
Taking an Intersectional Approach
While anyone of any gender can experience sexual violence, there are marginalized groups that are at higher risk of experiencing sexual violence. When we aim to use an intersectional approach in addressing sexual violence, it is important that we recognize and keep in mind that there are various aspects towards an individual’s identities, and how one may seek support may be shaped by their experiences. This is why it is important to always ask someone what they need, rather than assuming based on assumptions or your own experiences. We should always recognize our individual position and how it can affect our capacity to respond as active bystanders.
Supporting Individuals Affected By Sexual Violence
Want to learn more?
Take a CARE: Supporting Disclosures of Sexual Violence Workshop to learn meaningful responses and helpful skills for disclosures.
The Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children provides in-depth online training about how to respond to disclosures through a series of videos, which also explore how gender, race, class, culture, disability and sexuality impact our understanding of and experiences of sexual violence.