By age 18, 1 in 3 women will have experienced some form of sexual harassment or assault. Female students (and employees) in STEM programs experience significantly higher rates of sexism, discrimination, exclusion, and sexual harassment than women in non-STEM disciplines.
According to the Statistics Canada 2019 survey, 71% of students at Canadian postsecondary schools witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a postsecondary setting—either on campus, or in an off-campus situation that involved students or other people associated with the school. Most of those who had experienced these unwanted behaviours stated that the perpetrators were fellow students. Relatively few students said that the perpetrators were professors and others in positions of authority.
As society learns more about the causes, both direct causes such as breaking consent, and indirect causes like systems that benefit men and blame victims/survivors for what happened to them, it’s important to learn about these causes and how you can contribute to preventing them. It’s not just to show the people around you that you want them to lead a life free of gender-based violence and the many barriers it creates, but it also shows future employers that you’ve invested in equity work – one more way to set your resume apart of the rest of the crowd. Please note: This certificate is available to male identifying participants only.