Committee on sexual violence, harassment to hear from survivors

Morning North6:27Committee on sexual violence and harassment in Sudbury

A provincial committee is meeting in Sudbury to talk about sexual violence and harassment trying to develop legislation to better prevent and respond to the issue. We spoke with Daiene Vernile, chair of Select Committee on Sexual Violence and Harassment.A provincial committee is in Sudbury today to learn how the community deals with sexual violence and harassment.

Members of provincial parliament will hear from survivors and those who work with them.

The committee is touring the province to develop ways to prevent and respond to sexual violence and harassment.

Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas, who is also health critic for the NDP, said any legislative change should reflect regional differences.

"I have a feeling we will see differences. We will see differences as to which groups are vulnerable," she said.

"Does it look different from one community to the next? [Is] sexual violence and harassment in a big town, city like Toronto, different from [a location] in the north? [Does it] manifest in the same way?"

Giving the vulnerable a voice is what concerns Jennifer Johnson.

She teaches women's studies at Thorneloe University in Sudbury, and is a speaker at today's hearing.

Johnson said she's looking for direction on how sexual assaults should be reported.

"We do not have a stand-alone policy of sexual violence that would cover sexual assault where police, for instance, would more likely be involved and that's what we're working towards."

The committee is expected to release its interim report on June 24, and a final version is expected in December.

The committee is heading to Thunder Bay on Thursday.

Superior Morning7:01"It's Never Okay"

That's the name of the provincial government's new action plan to address sexual violence and harassment.Daiene Vernile is the MPP chairing the committee holding hearings in Thunder Bay