UPEI’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office provides valuable services and education, including mandatory course

UPEI's Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SV-PRO) is a safe and confidential space where students, staff, and faculty who have experienced sexual violence can obtain support. The SV-PRO connects people with services that are trauma-informed and suited to their individual needs.

Now leading that support is Candice Perry, UPEI’s new Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Officer. She graduated from UPEI’s BA program in 1996 and from the University of Manitoba’s BSW program in 1997. Between 1997 and 2019, Perry worked at a domestic violence shelter in rural Manitoba as an advocate for survivors of intimate partner violence. She then went on to work as an outreach coordinator and a follow-up advocate from 2020 to 2022 in a sexual violence resource centre.

The SV-PRO is committed to fostering a culture of consent on campus by supporting survivors and providing the University community with education and awareness around issues of sexual and gender-based violence.

“I very much believe in empowering survivors through trauma-informed practices and giving them information they can use to make informed decisions. If anyone wants to talk, I am here to listen and to help them explore their options,” said Perry.

In addition to this valuable position which was created in 2018, UPEI has recently added a mandatory course to educate students about sexual violence awareness and prevention. In April 2022, the UPEI Senate passed a motion that all first-year students be required to complete an online course that centres around this topic. The course will also be made available to other students to complete on a voluntary basis. The purpose of this training is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to recognize sexual violence, interrupt the harm, and know the options available for support and reporting at UPEI. The course offering will begin in January 2023.

The course consists of five modules—Consent, Consent at Work, Recognizing Sexualized Violence, Interrupting Harm, and How to Respond to a Disclosure at UPEI—and includes information that instructs participants in grounding techniques when the content is difficult and triggering, as well as information about supports in the community.

For access to counselling and academic support, contact UPEI Student Affairs at studentserv@upei.ca or (902) 566-0488.

For information about reporting options and for support and referrals, contact the SV-PRO office at 902-620-5090 or sv-pro@upei.ca.