What is happening at Western University?
The Western University community is in shock after a first-year student died after being attacked on campus and a series of sexual assault allegations have come to light.
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This week, we’re tackling this question: What is happening at Western University?
TL;DR: Safety on campus has come into question at Western University, in London, Ontario. This comes after a first-year student was killed and multiple people have reported being sexually assaulted on campus with many more allegations in circulation on social media — all during the first few weeks of school. Western students have planned a walk-out for Friday, Sept. 10, and the university has created a new task force on the issue. But tackling sexual violence on campus isn’t that easy.
The Western University community is in shock after a first-year student died after being attacked on campus, while police are investigating a series of sexual assault allegations linked to an on-campus party.
Eighteen-year-old Gabriel Neil was violently assaulted early Saturday morning on campus, and died in the hospital on Sunday as a result of his injuries. A 21-year-old male has been charged with one count of manslaughter and a homicide investigation is underway, The Globe and Mail and other outlets have reported. The campus community is mourning the life of the promising health sciences student, whose family said he hoped to become a doctor.
Over the same weekend, reports spread across social media that almost 30 students had been drugged and in some cases sexually assaulted at a party last Friday night (Sept. 10) at Medway-Sydenham Hall, a campus student residence.
The Western Gazette, the university’s campus newspaper, reported on this and published the letter the university sent to Medway-Sydenham’s residents in full. According to the Gazette, the university has also taken “immediate steps to ensure student safety” on campus, including increasing the number of security and staff members in residence buildings.
Since students returned to campus last week, Western said it has received three reports of sexual violence involving four women (none are tied to Medway-Sydenham). One person was arrested in connection with a formal investigation launched on Sept. 13, but has since been released without charges. The London Police Service say they have received no reports in connection with Medway-Sydenham.
Students continue to post about how Western’s toxic campus culture extends far beyond these incidences, prompting them to call for systemic change. Western has launched a task force on sexual violence and mandated training on consent and safety in response.
Students are planning a mass walk-out on Friday, Sept. 17 in response to the allegations to show they “stand with survivors and demand change.” Follow @UWOSGBVWalkout on Twitter for to-the-minute updates.
Let’s talk about how sexual violence has long been an endemic issue on campuses across the country.
The first eight weeks of the school year are the most high-risk, and are often dubbed the “red zone” because research has found that almost 50 percent of campus assaults happen during that time. I actually covered this as a student reporter for The Ubyssey a few years ago: the start of a new school year is, of course, filled with fun and alcohol, but experts say that it’s much more effective to decentralize “safety tips” like monitoring drinking and staying safe at night in favour of introducing widespread education on consent.
In March 2018, Maclean’s released data from a survey which found that across 49 Canadian universities, between 11 to 47 per cent of students said that “no one” educated them on how to report a sexual assault.
More post-secondary institutions have progressed on sexual violence prevention and education since then, but there are still prominent gaps. The government has asked schools to update their policies before March 2022 to help ensure that students who report sexual violence don't get in trouble if they've violated alcohol or drug policies or are asked irrelevant questions about their sexual history, among other things.
For a look at the contemporary issues facing universities, I really recommend you read Eternity Martis’ book, “They Said This Would Be Fun: Race, Campus Life, and Growing Up.”
Here’s someone to follow:
In very exciting news, The Narwhal is expanding to Ontario! The new three-person environmental journalism team will be led by Denise Balkissoon and driven by the in-depth reporting of Fatima Syed and Emma McIntosh. I would honestly recommend that you follow all of them.
Here’s a story to check out:
Are you all set to vote in the upcoming federal election? For the still-undecided, we have you covered with a few guides on some prominent issues.
The Narwhal has great breakdowns on big environmental and climate issues, including fossil fuel subsidies, zero-emission vehicles, nature-based solutions and more.
APTN News has this look at what the major parties are promising on Indigenous issues — but they’ve been widely criticized for just scratching the surface in their debates, so read this if you want to hold your leaders truly accountable.
And for just about anything else, Maclean’s has a well-sourced guide to the key issues complete with the cost of specific promises.
Shame to western university leadership. Alan Shepard should be asked to step down.