Signalement d’une situation de violence sexuelle à l’université : l’importance du soutien dans l’expérience des personnes victimes
Abstract
The high prevalence of sexual violence in higher education institutions (SVHE) and its underreporting are well documented. However, recent data remain scarce regarding the lived experiences of individuals who report SVHE to their university and to what extent the institution’s services and resources meet their needs. This study aims to better understand the experiences of individuals who have reported SVHE to their institution and highlights the factors that facilitate or hinder the reporting process. The sample consists of 22 French-speaking participants from seven Canadian universities, including 18 students. The notion of social support emerges as a central theme across both facilitating factors and barriers to reporting. In participants’ accounts, support is not exclusively the responsibility of the intervention teams designated by the institutions to support victims; rather, support should be considered throughout the reporting process because it involves a range of university resources, including student services. Regarding obstacles, the most frequently reported barriers relate to organizational or structural aspects of universities and the negative perception of institutional responses, two areas over which institutions have significant leverage to improve upon. The findings inform recommendations to improve and enhance current support practices for individuals affected by sexual violence, as well as training initiatives aimed at the broader university community
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Published
2025-08-29
Keywords
sexual violence, university, reporting, social support, institutional response
Issue
Section
Special Issue: Canadian Student Affairs and Services
DOI
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Copyright (c) 2025 Manon Bergeron, Émil.i.e Vert, Isabelle Auclair, Karine Baril, Rachel Chagnon, Simon Lapierre, Alexa Martin-Storey, Marie-Andrée Pelland, Sandrine Ricci, Lise Savoie
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