If you, or someone you know, has been affected by sexual violence, reach out for help:

• Call 911
• Go to the nearest hospital
• Call the Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1-800-726-2743
• Call the Domestic Violence Help Line: 1-888-709-7090

Sexual Violence Policy

Understand CNA’s Sexual Violence Policy .

Sexual Violence Procedure

Understand CNA’s Sexual Violence Procedure for disclosing and reporting.

Sexual violence includes acts, physical or psychological in nature, that threatens to intimidate, coerce, or engage in an unwelcomed behaviour of a sexual nature, without the person’s consent. It includes both in-person and digital/cyber actions. This violence takes different forms including, but not limited to, sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Examples of sexual violence:

• distribution of intimate images without consent
• denying another person’s sexual decision-making rights
• unwanted sexual comments, advances, or solicitation
• threat of reprisal for failure to comply with sexual advances
• sexual contact without consent

As defined by the Criminal Code of Canada, consent refers to voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity. CNA advocates a culture of mutual consent whereby consent to any sexual activity is ongoing, freely given, informed, and can be withdrawn at any time.

If you’ve been affected by sexual violence on or off campus, we are here to support you. Whether you need crisis intervention, counselling, education, or navigation through the campus policy and procedures, the student services team can help.

Who can you contact?

If you need support, here are some options:

Talk to a CNA guidance counsellor

• This is confidential (in most cases, unless there is a threat of harm to you or someone else).
• Receive support for personal and social concerns, resources, referrals, and advocacy.
• Reach out to a counsellor to book an appointment.

Talk to any CNA employee

• While you can reach out to an employee for support, depending on what you choose to share they may have a duty to consult with a Human Resources or Student Services representative to determine how to best support you.
• Names are usually not provided at this point, but a disclosure can result in action which may include opening an investigation.

Talk to Student Services

• Contact Charlene Walsh, Manager of Student Relations directly at svsupport@cna.nl.ca
• Charlene can explain what is confidential and what is not, help with understanding procedures and options, and discuss available supports.
• You can also decide how you would like to proceed and if you want to participate in any process going forward.

Access 24/7 Support

• Call the End Sexual Violence NL Support Centre for 24 hour confidential support and information at 1-800-726-2743. They can help with in-person support, resources, training and presentations, and accompaniments to the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program at St. Clare’s Hospital or Royal Newfoundland Constabulary in St. John’s.
• Call the 811 Healthline to access confidential and free telephone support from experienced Registered Nurses including information on what to do if you’ve experienced sexual violence, and help to decide what steps you can take to manage your physical and mental health.
• Call the Mental Health Crisis Line at 1-888-737-4668 for 24 hour free and confidential telephone crisis intervention by professionally trained Crisis Interveners.
• Text CONNECT to 686868 or 741741 for free 24/7 confidential text support with a trained volunteer crisis responder at Crisis Text Line .
• Contact the Legal Support Navigators with the Journey Project at 1-833-722-2805 for more information on support within the justice system. This is a collaboration that aims to strengthen the justice support for individuals impacted by sexual violence and/or intimate partner violence in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Sexual violence support training

As the only provincially-mandated organization dealing directly with the issue of sexual violence in NL, the End Sexual Violence NL Support Centre has access to a wide range of information, resources, and community groups. Contact their office to discuss your needs or questions and they will work to connect you with relevant information and services.

Questions?

Contact Charlene Walsh, Manager - Student Relations at svsupport@cna.nl.ca
Phone: 709-758-7319