Western is pioneering a new approach to gender-based and sexual violence prevention training that could help students tackle systemic issues well beyond their time on campus.
The university has invested in the training it offers students - and staff - to promote education and prevent gender-based and sexual violence. The efforts have elevated Western as a national example for its focus on ending the epidemic of gender-based violence.
"We are setting the precedent nationally for what an intentional, full-scale, campus-wide approach can look like," said AnnaLise Trudell, manager of wellness and equity education at Western.
"There's no other campus with this amount of investment, both in time, but also in dollars. We hire 20 facilitators in the summer to roll this out. No other university is doing this."
Trudell leads the team that's building pathways to help the Western community learn how to prevent gender-based and sexual violence - on campus or in their lives. It includes Mustangs for Consent, a two-part training program for incoming students.
This summer, approximately 6,500 first-year students took training called Consent 101, required for anyone arriving at Western to start an undergraduate degree, including exchange and transfer students. Of those, more than 5,000 take part in an additional live training Undressing Consent' in 196 comprehensive and interactive sessions for students living in residence. More than 196 comprehensive and interactive sessions were held to teach additional programming for students living in residence. Both segments of Mustangs for Consent are informed by the latest evidence and tailored to be meaningful for young people.
It marks an important milestone, with all of Western's undergraduate students now trained through the Consent 101 & Undressing Consent programs since it was first established in 2022. This program was originally developed and delivered by Anova, London's local sexual assault centre and gender-based violence shelter, along with Western's Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children. Now in its fourth year, the training has reached every student at Western. All incoming students complete it before they start, creating a shared standard across campus and ensuring everyone begins from the same foundation.
The training
The e-learning module Consent 101 covers the basics of consent, Western's policies to prevent and investigate gender-based and sexual violence and tangible strategies to help students create a safe campus culture. That includes the basics of bystander intervention and equipping students with the understanding of how to safely respond to incidents they witness.
Students living in residence also complete the mandatory Undressing Consent program, with off-campus students also strongly encouraged to participate. The in-person training, taught by highly trained facilitators, dives deeper into themes of consent, desire, rejection and sexual violence.
Together, the two trainings make up Mustangs for Consent, an evidence-based program built on the principles of violence prevention.
"This issue is not unique at Western. The university doesn't exist in a vacuum. We prepare students for life, which includes helping them become strong citizens with sexual agency," said Stephanie Hayne Beatty, acting vice-provost (students). "That training includes navigating peer pressure and speaking up for themselves with confidence."
Trudell's team has also designed an extensive array of programming for upper-year students, to build on the foundational knowledge from the mandatory first-year training.
Specific groups, such as student leaders and athletes, receive additional training to take their understanding to a new level.
"I think a lot of folks assume one and done is enough. That's based on the idea that if I just give you the right knowledge, you're good to go.' The research and evidence-based approach tell us it's not a knowledge issue. If we want behavior change, we need to reinforce it over the years with multiple opportunities or interventions," Trudell said.
"Western really did step into leadership to make this feasible. I really feel like the university is doing everything within its power from a prevention lens."
Leveling up
From peer guides to foot patrol to recreation staff, many Western students are also receiving additional training in how to respond to instances of gender-based violence, sexual violence or concerning behaviour that may lead to it.
It builds on the first-year programming, giving those student groups the chance to develop deeper knowledge of bystander intervention and what it means to wield power so they can apply it not only during their academic journeys, but in sports and leadership roles on and off-campus.
Trudell and her team developed two required programs specific to varsity student-athletes. The nationally recognized training has been shared with other institutions to help support their gender-based and sexual violence prevention work.
Beyond the Locker Room helps student-athletes develop skills to maintain healthy relationships, recognize and resist coercion and cope with intense emotions. Levellin' Up is for male-identifying students and provides an opportunity to talk with other young men, learn from each other and gain healthy relationship skills, such as resiliency in the face of rejection, navigating masculinity and engaging with accountability.
A pilot project for graduate students is in its second year, including a two-hour training session adopted by many departments as part of orientation programming. In 2024, more than 600 graduate students were trained using that new model. Trudell says expansion is planned for the next academic year.
And it's not just about students.
Western also offers staff and faculty training, including online courses on how to handle disclosures of sexual or gender-based violence.
That empowers employees who work with students, but also those who may hear concerns from colleagues or friends and family outside of the office.
Building a better community within a difficult world'
Many universities offer online training modules for students, but Western sets itself apart with mandatory, interactive Zoom sessions that actively engage participants. Hayne Beatty describes the training Western is implementing as a way to "effect change by building a better community within a difficult world."
"It sets the tone early on about our community expectations of how we're going to treat each other," Hayne Beatty said.
She says it's an essential part of a well-rounded education for post-secondary students.
A 2018 Statistics Canada survey found 44 per cent of women and 36 per cent of men who had been in an intimate relationship reported experiencing physical, psychological or sexual violence in their lifetime.
Western's Gender-Based and Sexual Violence Advisory Committee has worked to create and elevate the university's prevention and response on the issue since the group was formed in 2022. Philosophy professor Tracy Isaacs provided leadership during her two-year term as special advisor to the provost on gender-based and sexual violence to help champion the committee's work.
"We are incredibly proud of the dedication shown by our wellness and equity education team, faculty, staff and student leaders in building a campus-wide approach to preventing gender-based and sexual violence," said Florentine Strzelczyk, provost & vice-president (academic). "Their commitment has set a national standard, and this is ongoing work. We remain steadfast in ensuring every member of our community is equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to create a safe and respectful environment, on campus and beyond."
The impact
The mandatory training is evolving. Last year, the wellness team added more content on navigating alcohol consumption and how to handle rejection.
Western's Centre for Research on Education & Violence Against Women & Children analyzed the university's training from 2022 to 2024, producing a report that covers how the learning was received and implemented.
Feedback from participants was positive:
- 93% agreed content was clear
- 92% agreed they knew the supports available on campus
- 90% agreed the material would help them "live up to the values of being a Western student"
- 89% agreed they felt prepared to intervene if they witnessed gender-based or sexual violence
For Trudell, the work at Western transcends the bounds of campus, giving students vital skills to use in all areas of their lives and after they leave, whether at home, school, a social gathering or workplace.
"When you have power, you have a responsibility to use it for good."
