SGBV Education + Training

Some of the many barriers to disclosing sexual or gender-based violence (SGBV) include the fear of not being believed or of being blamed. Those fears are not unfounded; misconceptions around sexual violence are prevalent in society.

For example, many people incorrectly assume that if a person did not scream, fight back,  or explicitly say “no,” there must have been implicit consent. Anyone receiving a disclosure, investigating, or adjudicating a complaint, and even those who have been subjected to SGBV themselves might hold these and other false beliefs.

Education on these and other topics is designed to correct these misconceptions, ideally removing the barriers survivors commonly experience when seeking support and information on the options available to them. The goals of education and training around SGBV are to:

  • help those who have been subjected to SGBV feel safer in disclosing and seeking support;
  • ensure that those who receive disclosures know how to appropriately support and refer;
  • equip investigators to use trauma-informed interview techniques in order to get the best information possible from complainants, respondents and witnesses; and
  • ensure that decision-makers in complaint processes are able to appropriately interpret the evidence before them.

SGBV-related Education + Prevention Opportunities

The Sexual and Gender-based Violence Disclosures procedure encourages all members of the University to take advantage of essential learning opportunities related to SGBV.  These courses are recommended for anyone with a role that might involve receiving disclosures of SGBV, including instructors, advisors, human resources personnel, and anyone who needs to understand the University’s approach when a disclosure is received.

Short Courses on policy awareness + application

Consent education

Gender-inclusion + Anti-oppression 

Responding to Disclosures

Mandatory Training 

As a result of a Government of Alberta directive, section 3.a.ix of the Sexual and Gender Based Policy mandates “all individuals involved in administering, advising on, investigating or adjudicating SGBV complaints in any University complaint process have appropriate training” as outlined below.

Foundational Training e-class

This is required training for all staff involved in SGBV complaints, including investigators, decision-makers, and anyone who advises them. This course is also required for participating Options Navigation Network staff.

Foundations of Campus Sexual and Gender-Based Violence E-Class, including the following  four modules:

  • The Basics of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
  • Survivor-Supportive Practices
  • Unpacking the UofA Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policy
  • The Complexities of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

This course is available to the entire university community. Self-enroll at the eClass link »

Those who complete the mandatory course will  receive a certification of completion, which must be updated after three years.

Role-Specific Training

The Foundations of SGBV e-Class is the prerequisite for additional courses based on an individual’s role within the institution’s SGBV response. Training is available for the following roles:

  • Options Navigation Network (ONN) participating staff.
  • Decision-makers applying interim measures (and anyone advising them).
  • Investigators of SGBV and other interpersonal harm complaints.
  • Decision-makers in SGBV and other interpersonal harm complaints (and anyone advising them).
  • Student Appeal Panel members (and anyone advising them)

Employees or external investigators requiring any of these mandatory courses can contact svrc@ualberta.ca to be enrolled.