ASSÉ and AVEQ Release Joint Statement Denouncing Lack of Survivor Inclusion in Government Sexual Assault Consultations

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 12, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Today, the Association pour un Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (ASSÉ) and the Association for the Voice of Education in Quebec (AVEQ) jointly released a response to the sexual violence consultations announced by Minister Hélène David. While they welcome the government's engagement on sexual violence on campuses, they raised serious concerns about the way in which the consultation process is unfolding.

"When it comes to addressing sexual violence, it is extremely important that we are working together to support and elevate the voices of survivors in particular. In the current public consultation process proposed by the government, we have seen no indication of adequate space or resources being provided for the direct participation of survivors and groups that work with survivors." explained Kristen Perry, spokesperson for AVEQ.

"Sexual violence remains a serious barrier to accessible education. This affects all students, but Indigenous students in particular. Collective mobilization is thus necessary to demand concrete changes. The voices of students and survivors must be heard, and if they are not in the government consultations, they will be heard in the streets!" exclaimed Rosalie Rose, spokesperson for ASSÉ.

Both student associations plan to continue to work together to pressure the Minister to not only support the inclusion of survivors in the consultations, but also to dedicate funding and resources to groups that are already doing the work needed to prevent sexual violence and support survivors on and beyond campus.

The full joint statement is available here: http://aveq-nous.ca/en/2017/01/12/asse-and-aveq-release-joint-statement-denouncing-lack-of-survivor-inclusion-in-government-sexual-assault-consultations/

Background

AVEQ's mission is to defend both Anglophone and francophone students, with particular attention to the realities of students in the regions. AVEQ currently represents 33,000 Québec students, and associations representing 100,000 students are actively participating in its creation.

ASSÉ is a provincial student union that groups together more than 70,000 members of many college and university associations across Quebec, embodies a combative vision of student unionism, and puts information and mobilization of it's members at the heart of its action plan. It strives to be a union that is truly dedicated to the defence of student interests in Quebec, notably through fighting for improved accessibility to post-secondary education.

SOURCE Association for the Voice of Education in Québec

Kristen Perry (for AVEQ), Coordinator of Mobilization and Associative Development/English language media relations, [email protected], 1-888-994-9177 x3; Élisabeth Béfort-Doucet (for ASSÉ), Press Secretary, [email protected], 514-835-4444