The Historical Development of Sexual Assault Policy at the University of Saskatchewan: An Institutional Ethnography
Date
2015-09-30
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ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
Over the past few years, incidents of gender-based violence on Canadian university
campuses have gained public attention. In 2013 rape chants occurred during frosh week at two
universities – UBC and Saint Mary’s. In March 2014 the University of Ottawa’s hockey and
coaching staff was suspended after the sexual assault of a woman was reported in Thunder Bay
where the team was playing an out-of-town game. Later in 2014, the misogynistic Facebook
posts by Dalhousie dentistry students came to the public’s attention. A number of sexual assaults
have also taken place on the University of Saskatchewan campus, including high profile cases in
2003 and 2012. The current project takes a step back to explore two research questions. First,
how did women’s experiences at the University of Saskatchewan campus shape the institutional
discourse and policies and procedures on sexual assault? Second, what were the “ruling relations”
that affected the chain of actions leading to the development of sexual assault policies?
In order to answer the two research questions, institutional ethnography, augmented by
interpretive historical sociology, were utilized. Archival documents from the University of
Saskatchewan Archives and Special Collections were gathered and six semi-structured
interviews were conducted.
Double standards, sexism, limited child care, sexual harassment and sexual assault were
just a few issues that female students, faculty, and staff were concerned with at the University of
Saskatchewan. There were a number of groups on campus during the time frame under
investigation such as the Pente Kai Deka, the Women’s Directorate, and the Help Centre.
However, the thesis focuses mainly on the President’s Committee on the Status of Women
(PCSW), the President’s Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (PACSW), and the
Sexual Harassment Office (SH Office). In 1990 the PACSW was formally created. The main
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goal of the PACSW was to create the Reinventing Our Legacy (ROL) report, which was based
on submissions received from all groups on campus. Through the submissions the PACSW
derived nine recommendations to address sexual/gender harassment at the University of
Saskatchewan. The six interviewees involved with the PACSW described the barriers
experienced both within and outside the Committee. As well, the interviewees felt the ROL
report did not have the expected impact on the University of Saskatchewan campus.
Incidents of sexism, sexual harassment and sexual assault are still occurring at the
University of Saskatchewan. Based on information received from the women of the PACSW
interviewed for this research, the archival data collected, and other research involvement
regarding campus sexual assault, the thesis presents five recommendations for the University of
Saskatchewan: a safe space, professional staff, education, policy and procedures, and resources.
Description
Keywords
Campus, Sexual Assault, Feminist Theory, Women's Movement, Advocacy, History
Citation
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Sociology
Program
Sociology