Information for UBC Staff

If you’re a teaching staff, please see information for faculty and teaching staff.

Connect with SVPRO by emailing svpro.vancouver@ubc.ca or calling 604 822 1588 to consult on any Disclosure or related situation, including for more referral options. Additionally, the resource known as the SVPRO Teal Folder is now available electronically and for download.

If you’re seeking support

SVPRO offers support for any member of the UBC community impacted by sexual violence, including all staff. This can include secondary and vicarious trauma related to providing support to someone else who has experienced sexual violence.

Our support model is survivor-centred, meaning your needs and experiences determine what support looks like for you. Learn more about our support services.

Reporting is not required in order to receive support services from UBC.

Responding to a disclosure

What is a disclosure?

If someone tells you about sexual violence, you have received a Disclosure, and your role is to make a referral to support services, which UBC provides through SVPRO.

How to respond to a disclosure?

  • If you receive a Disclosure for investigation purposes
    If someone tells you about sexual violence for the purpose of having it investigated, please refer them to UBC’s Investigations Office and provide information about support services at SVPRO.
  • Safeguard privacy and confidentiality
    SVPRO is here to provide confidential support and advice to anyone in our community responding to a disclosure. Help safeguard privacy by not sharing information without guidance from SVPRO.
  • Respond with empathy and support
    Ask questions about what support the person needs. Avoid questions about what happened or why it happened.
  • Offer a referral for support related to their needs
    For example, someone seeking an academic concession could be referred to SVPRO to help coordinate the concession and any future ones while making sure the person doesn’t have to retell their story each time or to different parties involved. Reporting is not required in order to receive support services from UBC.
  • Share self-care and grounding techniques
    It may be helpful to connect the individual to self-care and grounding techniques.

Education and training

SVPRO educational programming is developed in consultation with those who will participate in it. We acknowledge that there are many different levels of experience and comfort with these topics across our community, and there is no one right “starting point”. Our team consults with those accessing training, collects information about needs, and then develops engagements that are tailored to the roles and experience levels of the people we are delivering to. Our programming covers the following areas:

  • Primary Prevention
    Addressing root causes through individual and cultural change. Topics include Media Literacy, Inequity and Power Dynamics, Receiving Feedback, and Intoxication Impact
  • Secondary Prevention
    Addressing incidents as they occur through upstander intervention. Topics include Upstander Intervention, Consent Culture, and Leadership & Organizational Culture.
  • Tertiary Prevention
    Addressing trauma that has occurred through empathy building. Topics include Neurobiology of Trauma, Supporting Survivors, SVPR0, and UBC’s Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Available formats

  • Tabling
  • Video
  • Panel Participation
  • Presentation and Q&A
  • Workshop or Training
  • Consulting (insight, guidance, or strategy)

If you are interested in booking a workshop, training, or consultation, complete the SVPRO Outreach Form.

UBC Sexual Misconduct Policy and Resources

UBC’s Sexual Misconduct Policy creates a support system for those impacted by sexualized violence, through SVPRO, as well as a separate, voluntary reporting and investigation system through the Investigations Office (IO).

See policy definitions and the support systems of SVPRO and the Investigations Office.

For supervisors, heads, and ddministrators

Safety planning, safety measures, and discipline

Under UBC’s current system, investigations of sexual violence and misconduct are conducted only by the Investigations Office.

If you are asked to investigate a matter you feel may constitute sexual violence or misconduct, please consult with SVPRO and UBC’s Investigations Office before proceeding.

Safety measures

SVPRO provides safety planning and support and coordination for the implementation of safety measures. You may be contacted by SVPRO in order to make arrangements for safety measures needed by those you supervise.

UBC offers a range of support services for those who Disclose being impacted by sexual violence, regardless of whether they report. Those supports include class schedule changes, academic accommodations, and temporary work or location reassignment, as well as scheduling changes. Learn more about SVPRO support services.

Generally, safety measures are support for the person impacted that do not affect other parties. Examples can be found in the Sexual Misconduct Policy and the At-Risk Behaviour Policy.

As part of safety planning, interim restrictions can be put in place that impact another party/parties when a situation constitutes at risk-behaviour under the At-Risk Behaviour Policy.

Discipline

Disciplinary measures

Disciplinary measures occur in response to an investigation report from the UBC Investigations Office that includes findings of sexual misconduct.

Discipline decision makers

For students, discipline decisions are made by the UBC President. For faculty, discipline is determined by their Dean. If suspension or termination is considered appropriate, a recommendation is made to the President. For termination, a recommendation is made by the President to the Board of Governors.

If you are the decision maker

If you are the decision maker for discipline in a case where an investigation has concluded with findings of sexual misconduct, the Director of Investigations will provide you with a copy of the investigation report.

You are required to meet with the respondent and provide a copy of the report. Then, after you have decided on appropriate discipline, the disciplinary outcome is communicated in writing to the respondent, with a copy to the Director of Investigations.

Contact Human Resources Advisory Services for support related to disciplinary decisions, collective agreement provisions, and related inquiries.

Alternative processes

The Investigations Office offers Alternative Resolution processes on a voluntary basis, and voluntary alternative processes can also be part of the At-Risk Behaviour management process.

Alternative resolution processes may lead to voluntary measures undertaken by parties involved, which you may play a role in supporting or implementing. Find out more about Alternative Resolution processes.