The University of Prince Edward Island is committed to building an inclusive campus culture where all students feel welcomed, respected, and valued on campus. As part of this commitment, students at UPEI will have access to a free course involving a safe and violence-free environment for all members of the University community.

In April 2022, the UPEI Senate passed a motion requiring students to complete a mandatory, non-credit course, "Preventing Sexual Violence at UPEI". The purpose of the course is to increase sexual violence awareness and prevention among students and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to recognize sexual violence, to interrupt the harm, and to know the options available for support and reporting at UPEI.  

Starting in the 2023 Fall semester, all new UPEI students are required to complete the "Preventing Sexual Violence at UPEI" course. While the course is required to graduate for students starting programs in the Fall of 2023, all UPEI students are encouraged to complete it and earn the badge on a voluntary basis. For those students who have a Catalog year of 2023, the course will be added to the Progress requirements. For those who do not have a 2023 Catalog year, the course is not a graduation requirement, but you can still add the course to your Course Plan, register, and complete the course in Moodle.

Students will find the "Preventing Sexual Violence at UPEI" course listed on their Progress page in myUPEI and can register for it at no cost by adding it to their course plan at any time during the year. Once a student has registered, the course itself can be found in Moodle.

The course consists of five modules: Consent, Consent at Work, Recognizing Sexualized Violence, Interrupting Harm, and How to Respond to a Disclosure at UPEI. It also includes a module that guides participants in grounding techniques that can be used when the content is difficult and triggering as well as information about supports that are available in the community.

It takes approximately 1–2 hours on average to complete the course, and it does not have to be completed all at once. Students can complete part of the course and return to finish it at a later time or date.

The course is graded with either a pass or fail. It is structured so that you cannot proceed to the next lesson unless you correctly complete the current one. However, if you have questions and need more assistance, please contact the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office.

Survivors of sexualized violence, harassment, and discrimination could find the content of this course overwhelming or even activating. If you are struggling and/or unable to complete the course, please reach out to the SVPRO Manager. They can go over options for completing the course and offer referrals to more supports if you want them. Assistance from the SVPRO will be confidential.  

Any questions or requests for support can be directed to Candice Perry, Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Manager, at 902-620-5090 or sv-pro@upei.ca.