Professor Gretchen Kerr, acting dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, will play a key role in developing policies for U of T’s new Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Centre. As part of this campus-wide safety initiative, she will lead an expert panel to co-ordinate and update education and training programs for all members of the university community.
The group, called the Expert Panel on Education and Prevention of Sexual Violence, was formed as part of an action plan released on April 5 by President Meric Gertler and Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr.
The plan calls for the new centre to provide support services for those affected by sexual violence, and to train those who receive disclosures and provide after-hours on-call services. The centre is set to launch by January 2017.
The panel will update existing programs, ensuring that the U of T community is aware of available supports and services and how to address sexual violence complaints. Importantly, it will use research as a basis to inform how training is designed and delivered.
“Our work will contribute in important ways to U of T’s commitment to create an environment where students, staff and faculty are safe to learn, work and live,” says Kerr. “By providing coordinated education and training, members of the U of T community will be better equipped to share in the responsibility to prevent, intervene in, and address incidents of sexual violence.”
Kerr’s current research on athletes’ welfare will provide a valuable foundation for the panel. Her work focuses on understanding power relations, the crucial role of bystander interventions, and a shared responsibility for preventing and addressing harm.
“People need to feel safe on our campuses,” Gertler says. “The University is committed to doing everything possible to create that safe environment and to make sure the right supports are available.”
This article has been edited and condensed by Katie Babcock.