The SVPS Centre works to create a campus environment where all members of the University community can study, work and live free from sexual violence.
Established as part of the University of Toronto’s Action Plan on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence, the Centre has locations on each campus to help students, staff and faculty who have been affected by sexual violence or sexual harassment access support, services and accommodations.
We welcome clients of all gender identities, expressions, and sexualities, and recognize that sexual violence can occur between people of any gender. Furthermore, we recognize that systemic inequity and stigma can increase the risk of experiencing sexual violence and harassment, making some individuals both more likely to experience violence and less likely to feel safe seeking-out support. This includes the discrimination experienced by Black, Indigenous, and other racialized people, newcomers and those without legal immigration status, 2SLGBTQ+ folks, those with lived experience of homelessness, and those engaged in precarious work, including sex work.
Our Services
Connecting you with the services and support you need.
People affected by sexual violence deserve a welcoming, safe, and confidential space where they can talk to caring professionals and learn about their options.
The Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre provides:
- Emotional support & connection to counselling
- Coordination of academic, workplace, and financial accommodations
- Support & assistance connecting with resources, including medical, legal, and housing services
- Advocacy for and connection with supports within and outside the University
- Safety planning
- Assistance with navigating institutional, judicial, and medical systems
- Information about reporting options and assistance making a report, if survivors choose to make one
- Educational initiatives, workshops and training, awareness campaigns, and programming for survivors
- Consultation for members of the University who receive a disclosure or have a concern related to sexual violence
Our Commitment
Confidential client-centred services and support.
We recognize that your needs, circumstances and choices are unique – and we respect that. When you access services from the Centre, you can rest assured that you will:
- Be treated with dignity and respect
- Receive non-judgmental, empathetic care
- Be free to ask questions and drop in and out of service
- Learn about on- and off-campus support services and resources
- Be fully informed about Centre policies, confidentiality and conditions of service
- Get the information you need to make informed choices about whether to report sexual violence, and how and where to do it – and know that your decision will be respected
Our Approach
Our services are trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and survivor-centred. In general, this means that we view our clients as experts in their own lives. This means we work in partnership with survivors of sexual violence, taking their lead in supporting them and exploring what sort of information or resolution they may be seeking.
It also means we recognize that sexual violence is linked to power, control, and systems of oppression, and that there are inherent power dynamics with our conversations at the Centre as well as within the University context more generally. We will work to identify and dismantle these power imbalances. We will strive to foster a safe environment where survivors feel empowered and are aware of their rights and their options.
Should you choose to access the Centre, it is important to know:
- You can share as little or as much as you like
- You will direct the conversation
- You can speak to us without any pressure to make a report
- You decide what support, resources, and reporting options you would like to engage, if any; and
- Your engagement is voluntary, and your consent is respected
Confidentiality & Privacy
Information that you share will be treated confidentially.
As part of our integrated team, if necessary, your Coordinator may consult with other members of the Centre team on a “need to know” basis to provide you with the best possible service.
The Centre treats disclosures and reports of incidents of sexual violence as confidential, consistent with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. At the start of your appointment, we will explain our confidentiality and privacy commitment and answer any questions you may have about it.
We only share information as necessary to implement the University’s Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment, including providing services, supports, accommodations and interim measures; and where necessary, investigation, hearing and decision-making processes, and any corrective action resulting from those processes.
To protect your information, all university staff who need to receive information follow all applicable University policies, guidelines, and legal requirements, including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The Centre may be required to disclose information in certain specific situations, including where:
- Information needs to be disclosed in order to address a risk to the health and safety of Members of the University Community
- An individual is at risk of imminent and serious harm to themselves or others
- Disclosure, report or investigation is required by law (for example, violence involving a minor, sexual violence by a regulated health professional, a subpoena, court order, obligations related to occupational health and safety or to human rights legislation or other legally effective requirement)
- Disclosure of a record is required to comply with disclosure obligations during the hearing process under the University’s Code of Student Conduct or an employment arbitration process
Information collected during visits to the Centre, over a phone call and via email communication, will be recorded in your Electronic Record, and will be accessible to Centre staff, as required. You can ask to see your records at any time. Please speak to your Coordinator for more information.
Email Communication
We routinely use email to communicate with clients about appointment bookings and resources, and to provide information updates. We communicate confidentially by email, and the security of UTOR to UTOR email is supported by strong contractually confirmed security measures. Nevertheless, email communications, particularly between different email services may be less secure, so confidentiality of email communications cannot be guaranteed.
We will respond to emails as soon as we can during regular business hours. The Centre’s email account is not monitored outside of office hours. If you have safety or privacy concerns about use of email, please let your Coordinator know.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about our services, policies, and support options.
Social Media Policy
The Centre is now active on Instagram, X, and Facebook! Follow us to join the conversation on care, consent, sexual health, and ending gender-based violence.
Comments
We welcome your comments on all SVPSC social media posts. The purpose of these platforms is to present matters of public interest to the University of Toronto community as it relates to consent, self-care, and the elimination of sexual violence. We encourage you to submit your questions, comments, and concerns.
Please note that comments expressed by public users on these platforms do not reflect the opinions, position, and core values of the SVPSC or the University of Toronto more broadly. The SVPSC disclaims any and all responsibility and liability for any materials or comments posted on these platforms by public users.
The SVPSC moderates all comments and reserves the right to remove your comment. We also reserve the right to block or remove access to repeat offenders of this policy.
Comments, messages, and other engagement related to disclosures of sexual violence should be communicated directly to SVPSC staff at svpscentre@utoronto.ca; or 416-978-2266. Public comments concerning sexual violence may be removed to protect the safety of all those involved.
Comments of the following nature (and others deemed inappropriate) will be removed:
- Comments that are threatening, harassing, name-calling, slanderous, obscene, profane and that contain hate speech, degrade others or are abusive as determined by the SVPSC at its sole discretion
- Trolling, spamming, doxxing, or postings that are of a promotional nature
- Content that violates the legal ownership or rights of another party, including intellectual property, privacy or publicity rights
- Chain letters or pyramid schemes
- Content that impersonates another person
- Content that promotes illegal activity
- Libellous statements, such as allegations of criminal activity or comments that are unproven and may harm a person’s reputation
- This includes any engagement that identifies another person by name, or indirectly by identifier
- Use of an offensive username or of foul language
- All other content that is deemed inappropriate at the sole discretion of the SVPSC
Personal information
Please refrain from including personal information such as your address or phone number in your comment. Should you choose to post personal information, the SVPSC accepts no responsibility for usage by third parties.
Finally, public users and commenters agree that you will indemnify the SVPSC against any damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs) arising out of a claim by a third party relating to any material you have posted.
If you have any questions concerning this policy, please contact us.
Annual Reports
Explore annual reports detailing the SVPS Centre’s work in prevention, education, and support. Reports include highlights, metrics, staff profiles, and updates on our evolving efforts to address sexual violence and build a culture of consent across U of T.
Reports on U of T’s Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment
Past Reports from the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support Centre
Student Advisory Committee
The SVPS Centre team is excited to announce the recruitment of our next Student Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC will work towards strengthening student engagement and ensuring that the office’s programs and services reflect the diverse needs and experiences of students. This committee will serve as a consultative body to provide feedback, share insights, and co-create initiatives that enhance the SVPS Centre’s impact. The work of the SAC will increase communication and improve coordination and learning across the three campuses as it relates to sexual violence prevention and support.
The SAC will be responsible for information sharing, offering advice, and feedback.
Applications are now closed.
Our Team
SVPS Centre staff include compassionate, skilled Coordinators with years of training and experience supporting individuals and providing education.
Our team has extensive experience in directly supporting survivors of sexualized violence and prevention work. Collectively, it spans a wide range of activities, from community-based case management, research, and policy-making to training, support services, and academic administration. Our staff have graduate degrees in relevant disciplines, such as sociology and social work and have previously worked for community based anti- sexual and gender-based violence organizations.
We deeply care about our clients and this work. We are committed to applying equity, diversity, inclusion, and trauma-informed practices in all work. Regardless of their role, all members of our team are dedicated to ongoing learning about trauma, sexual and gender-based violence, and how to apply inclusive, anti-colonial and anti-oppressive principles to our work.
We are here to support you.