UNB advocate for sexual assault survivors takes on national advisory role

A University of New Brunswick advocate for students who have been sexually assaulted has been chosen to sit on a national advisory committee for gender-based violence and sexual assault at post-secondary institutions.

Hilary Swan, the tri-campus sexual assault support advocate, is one of 30 representatives from across the country who will serve on the committee.

The goal is a framework for ensuring supportive resources are available for students at any post-secondary institution in the country.

"I think all of us want to see, regardless of wherever students are attending school … that students are going to have the same access to sexual assault supports," Swan said.

The five-year, $5.5-million project is being chaired by the federal Department of Women and Gender Equality.

Intersectional approach

Swan said it's important to make sure the right voices are heard, and the committee is taking an intersectional approach to its work.

"We understand that sexual violence impacts students of colour, students of different races, different ethnicity, genders, and different sexes and class and all these socioeconomic factors really impact individuals' ability on accessing resources and accessing support," Swan said.

The committee's advice will also be "trauma-informed," which she said means taking into consideration how a trauma such as sexual assault can affect the brain.

In the era of the #MeToo movement, she said, more people are comfortable coming forward, and having supports in place allows that to happen.  

The post of sexual assault support advocate for all three Fredericton campuses — St. Thomas University, the University of New Brunswick and New Brunswick Community College — was created in July 2017.

CBC News requested the number of disclosures made to the advocate, but the university declined to provide the number.

Front-line training

Swan said other front-line staff, such as proctors, professors and coaches, have all been trained to handle disclosures before they are brought to her.

When she's informed, she contacts the student and provides the options for supports.

While things have improved for survivors of sexual assault, there is still a lot of work to do to erase the stigma and victim-blaming that lingers, she said.

"Overall, I think that over the years we've proved that it's a very successful program and proved that this is something that caused really positive change," she said.