Prevent.Resist.Support is the University of Windsor’s comprehensive campus-wide strategy for addressing campus-based sexual violence, and the Bystander Initiative is the prevention pillar of this strategy. Prevention is part of the University's ongoing efforts to foster respectful, inclusive, and safer learning and working environments across campus.
To advance this goal, this initiative offers bystander intervention training to all UWindsor students through a community responsibility approach – EVERYONE has a role to play in preventing harmful behaviour and creating a campus culture that doesn’t tolerate sexual violence.
Offering evidence-based, campus-wide, institutionally integrated sexual violence prevention education, UWindsor is proudly a Canadian leader in this space.
Take a Workshop. Bystander offers sexual violence prevention education through a 2.5 hr. on-line Canadian adaptation of the Bringing in the Bystander® workshop – a training about effective and safer intervention strategies, the basics of consent, helpful ways to respond to disclosures of sexual violence, and how to build empathy for survivors of sexual violence. Learn more about workshops on our website.
The scope of our work on campus is possible because of the commitment of students. We actively work with diverse groups of students to develop their capacity to create positive social change.
Take a Course. Workshops are led by undergraduate students who have completed comprehensive training through Bystander’s academic courses. This peer-to-peer, student-led approach makes Bystander workshops more accessible and fosters collaboration and community. Students are encouraged to learn more about Bystander’s unique experiential learning opportunities by exploring courses on our website.
To find out more about Bystander Initiative, consult its website.
For general information, email bystander@uwindsor.ca
Dr. Frances Cachon is the Coordinator of the Bystander Initiative. You can reach her at mfcachon@uwindsor.ca
If you have experienced sexual violence or have had any unwanted experience of a sexual nature, you deserve support. The Office of Sexual Violence Prevention, Resistance, and Support (OSVPRS) provides confidential support to the UWindsor community (including both students and employees). The OSVPRS can also help if you are looking for guidance on how to support someone else.
You can reach the OSVPRS by email at svsupport@uwindsor.ca
For more information you can visit the Support page of the OSVPRS website.
