POLICY APPLICATION
The Policy applies to all members of Pine Valley Driving Academy career college community including students, staff, faculty, administrators, contract service providers, contractors, officers, directors and individuals who are directly connected to any of Pine Valley Driving Academy initiatives, volunteers and visitors.

THE SCOPE
The Policy applies to complaints of sexual violence or sexual harassment that have  occurred on Pine Valley Driving Academy career college campus or at a Pine Valley Driving Academy career college event and involve members of the career college community as defined in paragraph one, the Policy Application.

PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE POLICY
All members of Pine Valley Driving Academy career college community have a right to a work and study in an environment that is free from any form of sexual violence. This document sets out our policy and response protocol to sexual violence and ensures that those who experience sexual violence are believed and their rights respected, that the College has a process of investigation that protects the rights of individuals and holds individuals who have committed an act of sexual violence accountable.

POLICY STATEMENT
Sexual assault and sexual violence are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We are committed to challenging and preventing sexual violence and creating a safe space for anyone in Pine Valley Driving Academy community who has experienced sexual violence. The College is expected to be a safe and positive space where members of the College community feel able to work, learn and express themselves in an environment free from sexual violence.

All reported incidents of sexual violence will be investigated to the best of the administration’s ability and in a manner that ensures due process. It is this policy’s intention to make individuals feel comfortable about making a report in good faith about sexual violence that they have experienced or witnessed.

We recognize that sexual violence can occur between individuals regardless of sexual orientation, gender, and gender identity or relationship status as articulated in the Ontario Human Rights Code. We also recognize that individuals who have experienced sexual violence may experience emotional, academic or other difficulties.

We are committed to:

• assisting those who have experienced sexual violence by providing choices, including detailed information and support, such as provision of and/or referral to counselling and medical care, information about legal options, and appropriate academic and other accommodation;
  
• ensuring that those who disclose that they have been sexually assaulted are believed, and that their right to dignity and respect is protected throughout the process of disclosure, investigation and institutional response;
  
• addressing harmful attitudes and behaviours (e.g., adhering to myths of sexual violence) that reinforce that the person who experienced sexual violence is somehow to blame for what happened;
  
• treating individuals who disclose sexual violence with compassion recognizing that they are the final decision-­‐makers about their own best interests;
  
• ensuring that on-­‐campus (internal) investigation procedures are available in the case of sexual violence, even when the individual chooses not to make a report to the police;
• engaging in appropriate procedures for investigation and adjudication of a complaint which are in accordance with College policies, standards and applicable collective agreements, and that ensure fairness and due process;
  
• ensuring coordination and communication among the various departments who are most likely to be involved in the response to sexual violence on campus;
  
• engaging in public education and prevention activities;
  
• providing information to the College community about our sexual violence policies and protocols;
  
• providing appropriate education and training to the College community about responding to the disclosure of sexual violence;
  
• contributing to the creation of a campus atmosphere in which sexual violence is not tolerated; and
  
• monitoring and updating our policies and protocols to ensure that they remain effective and in line with other existing policies and best practices.
  

REPORTING & RESPONDING TO SEXUAL VIOLENCE

All members of our career college community will take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual violence on our career college campus or events and report immediately to the Pine Valley Driving Academy Administrator if they are subject to, witness or have knowledge of sexual violence, or have reason to believe that sexual violence has occurred or may occur. To the extent it is possible, Pine Valley Driving Academy’s Campus Administrator will attempt to keep all information disclosed confidential except in those circumstances it believes an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm, or of harming another, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that others in the our career community are at risk. Pine Valley Driving Academy recognizes the right of the complainant to determine whether her or his complaint will be dealt with by the police and/or Pine Valley Driving Academy. However, in certain circumstances, Pine Valley Driving Academy may be required by law or its internal policies to initiate an internal investigation and/or inform police without the complainant’s consent, if it believes the safety of members of its career college community is at risk.  At all times, Pine Valley Driving Academy will do its best to approximately accommodate the needs of students affected by sexual violence at no cost to the student. In addition, Pine Valley Driving Academy community members should be aware that a formal report of an incident of sexual violence is not necessary to access supports, services, or accommodations.

sexual violence and sexual harassment POLICY