We're Here for Who? A Post-Structural Policy Analysis of Sexual Violence Policies on Ontario University Campuses

In September 2016, the provincial government of Ontario required all publicly funded universities and colleges in the province to create standalone sexual violence policies through the introduction of the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act, formerly known as Bill 132: Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act (Supporting Survivors and Challenging Sexual Violence and Harassment). Despite its rollout over 5 years ago, sexual violence on post-secondary campuses continues at an alarming rate. Through an exploratory case study of the Act and 5 Ontario universities, this research uncovers the gaps in current sexual violence policies by exploring what accounts for different campus contexts in relation to sexual violence and rape culture if publicly funded universities in Ontario are all mandated by similar policies? Findings focus on failure to adequately prevent and respond to sexual violence and rape culture due to the provincial government neoliberal framing and lack of intersectional approaches. Policies that work to prevent societal issues such as sexual violence must incorporate an intersectional approach that reframes current narratives, provide consistent and transparent responses across the sector, and hold individuals accountable for their actions.