Make a Disclosure

Disclosing and limits to confidentiality

All disclosures and complaints of sexual violence will be treated in accordance with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).

Employees of the University who receive a disclosure or complaint of sexual violence or who are involved in addressing or investigating a disclosure or complaint will keep the information confidential to the extent possible in order to protect the rights of those involved in the allegations and prevent an unjustified invasion of their personal privacy and to preserve the integrity of the investigation.

The University will make reasonable efforts to maintain confidentiality when it becomes aware of an incident of sexual violence and will limit the sharing of information about individuals to those within the University who need to know for the purposes of, or those consistent with, addressing the incident, investigating the incident or taking corrective action. Read more in the Policy on Prevention and Response to Sexual and Gender-based Violence.

Keep in mind not all faculty, staff and students have received specialized training for responding to incidents and/or disclosures of sexual violence. OCAD U’s Student Wellness Centre staff, and members of the Safety & Security team have this training.
 

Reporting and complaints

OCAD University acknowledges that a decision to report sexual violence, either externally through the criminal justice system or internally through the university’s policy and procedures, involves potential implications. A complainant has the right to be informed of possible outcomes and implications of each relevant external or internal process and has the right to choose whether to report the incident(s) or not. The only exceptions to the complainant’s right to determine whether a report or complaint proceeds are in situations involving imminent risk (as outlined in Disclosing and limits to confidentiality). 
 

Responding to student disclosures of sexual violence

Faculty, staff and student peer leaders at OCAD University have a shared responsibility to ascertain a survivor’s safety, listen without judgement, inform survivors of the limits to confidentiality before receiving a disclosure, and refer students to the Student Wellness Centre for support.
 

Employees who have experienced sexual violence

OCAD University’s Respectful Work & Learning Environment Policy states that harassment and discrimination violate an individual’s human rights and run contrary to the university’s fundamental values. This includes sexual and gender-based harassment on campus, off-campus and on-line. At any time, employees may contact OCAD U’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Sustainability Initiatives (ODESI) to confidentially ask a question, raise a concern or seek assistance. Meetings can be arranged off-campus if preferred.

Employees who require accommodations related to experiencing sexual violence may also contact OCAD U’s People and Culture office, and seek support through the Employee Assistance Program.