Gender-Based Violence describes any unwanted or unwelcome behaviour that is committed against someone based on their gender, gender identity, gender expression, or perceived gender, and can be verbal, physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual.Gender-Based Violence disproportionately impacts women and girls, Indigenous peoples, 2SLGBTQIA+ people, racialized people, and people with disabilities or diverse abilities, and can occur in-person or on-line.

Sexual Violence and Misconduct describes any unwanted or unwelcome behaviour that is carried out by targeting a person’s sexuality. It can occur in-person or on-line, and includes:

  • Sexual assault (see definition below)
  • Sexual exploitation
  • Sexual abuse
  • Sexual harassment (see definition below)
  • Threats of harm to self or others
  • Threats or other forms of coercion to engage in sexual activity
  • Stalking
  • Indecent or sexualized exposure
  • Voyeurism
  • Trafficking
  • Distribution of intimate and/or sexually explicit image of a person without that person’s consent
  • Creating, displaying, presenting or circulating pictures or other degrading material of a sexual nature

Sexual Harassment describes any unwanted or unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature which contributes to an intimidating, hostile, offensive or uncomfortable learning or working environment.

Sexual harassment can occur in person or online, and may include, but is not limited to:

  • Requests for sexual favours
  • Unwanted or unwelcome physical contact
  • Unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions
  • Sexually suggestive, obscene, or degrading comments or gestures
  • Offensive jokes or remarks of a sexual nature
  • Leering, staring, or catcalling
  • Stalking or cyber-stalking
  • Sharing live streams, videos, or images of sexual violence
  • Displaying, circulating, or sharing pictures or other materials of a sexual nature
  • Unwelcome questions or remarks about a person’s sex life, gender appearance, clothing, and/or sexual orientation
  • Expressed or implied promise of reward in return for complying with a sexual request

Sexual Assault

  • Is any sexual contact that happens without consent (see definition below), and can range from unwanted sexual touching to forced sexual intercourse.

Consent

  • Is the active, voluntary agreement to engage in a specific sexual activity at a particular time.• An individual must actively, willingly, and continuously give consent to all sexual activity; sexual activity without consent is sexual assault.
  • Is never assumed or implied; is not silence or the absence of “no”; cannot be obtained through threats, force, coercion or fraud/deception and it can be revoked at any time.
  • A person who is impaired by alcohol or drugs may be incapable of giving consent.
  • A person who is unconscious cannot give consent.
  • A person may not be able to give consent due to their age (under 12) or the age difference between the people engaged in the sexual activity or due to one person being in a position of power or authority over the other person.

McCreary Survey Results:

The most recent McCreary Centre’s BC Adolescent Health Survey (2023) revealed that 51% of female students aged 12 to 19 in BC reported they had experienced verbal sexual harassment in the previous year and 32% had experienced physical sexual harassment. Non-binary youth in BC reported experiences of physical and verbal sexual harassment at even higher rates (58% verbal and 40% physical sexual harassment).

Link: https://mcs.bc.ca/pdf/2023_bcahs_the_big_picture.pdf

BC’s Gender-Based Violence Action Plan:

In December 2023, the Province of British Columbia released a multi-year Gender-Based Violence Action Plan. The province specifically included among its planned actions increasing prevention education.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/services-policies-for-government/gender-equity/safe-and-supported-gender-based-violence-action-plan-december-2023.pdf