Women and Personal Safety

Statistics Canada Violence Against Women Survey, 1993 found that 59% of women in BC have experienced violence. The highest rates of violence wre reported by young women (18 to 24 years of age) and by those with some post-secondary education. Few (14%) violent incidents experienced by women in Canada were reported to police.

Violence against women by men known to them constitutes the largest threat and cause of harm; 89% of sexual assault victims in BC were attacked by someone they knew.

Women speak of the fear they feel of walking alone across campus at night, of working in labs and offices at night, and of being the victim of sexual assault. The TRU Personal Safety Survey (1996) found that just over 30% of the women at TRU do not feel safe on our campuses at night, while only 2.5% of men felt unsafe on campus at night. About 45% of TRU's female students and staff say they restricted their campus activities because of concern for their personal safety.

A 1995 study at the University of British Columbia found that incidents of verbal harassment on campus typically had sexual or racist overtones.

Women with disabilities, First Nations women, visible minorities women, and lesbians are particularly vunerable to violence and abuse. Negative social stereotypes and attitudes, depending on others for assistance, social isolation, and poverty increase these risks.