planet of the arts volume 7 issue 7 page 7 ECCAD's harassment survey .....from your counselling department -cases, controversy, without any comment We hoped to get information about how we are doing as a community in creating a re- spectful environment, and what the current level is for tolerance of differences. So we asked about actual and potential problems: how you handled them, and what it might take to trigger a violent response to perceived harassment. How are wedoing? And compared to whom? One student suggested that the issues of the college are similar to those that happen out- side the college. Another student gave us credit, as a community, for being much more enlightened and respectful than what that student experiences at home or in the workplace. While we do not have the data to make comparisons to what happens outside the College, nor to generalize from our returns about the whole college, we can generalize from the 33 responses that we received. Two-thirds of the respondents had experi- enced or received, at Emily Carr, some form of harassment that they felt distressed by. No doubt, it will not bea surprise that three times more women than men reported some kind of harassment. In 20% of the described incidents, the alleged harassers were women. Almost 25% of the alleged perpetrators were fellow students and the rest were either fac- ulty or support staff. In 20% of the responses, the harassers were not identified in terms of position within the college. Kinds of Perceived Harassment Much of the harassment was felt to be directly personal even if the nature of the harassment referred to one’s actual or im- plied membership in a specific group. Some harassment was experiences not personal, targeted at another or a group in such a way that the impact created a negative environ- ment, e.g. homophobic graffiti. We got stories of: verbal insults, put-downs, threats, physically intrusive touch or intimi- dation, voyeurism, property defacement and damage, and written or illustrated harass- ments. Students either felt victimized or had wit- nessed victimization according to gender, sexual orientation, race, age, ideology, com- petition for space or equipment, or in ag- grieved reaction by the other student’s behavior. Impact Almost all the respondents were distrib- uted, or at least put out by their experiences. Many recovered from the incidents without much sense of lasting damage or inconven- ience, but not everybody felt that way. One female student reported that for her, the level of threat with some repeated inci- dents varied according to the state of her own self-esteem on the particular day. Another female student reported that repeated inci- dents hadresultedin heloss ofa year’s worth of work, an unwanted change in her area of study, and a severe loss of self-worth result- ing from her not being able to stop the experi- enced harassment. How student handled harassment incidents Most, but not all, male respondents felt better than females about how they handled harassment situations. All males, however, reported confronting the offender and/or re- porting it to the appropriate supervisor, e.g. an Associate Dean. While some female respondents felt they had handled as well as could be, some did not confront or report the incidents. A few felt that it was best not to, others were pessimistic about it improving the situation for them. They wondered whether they would be per- ceived as over-reacting, that they suffer a backlash against them, or that the harasser would not make an effort to improve the interaction. A few confrontations, for both men and women, did, apparently, result in denials, attacks, and sanctions of some kind. Many students felt relatively helpless, wished that they had done something more effective, but were uncertain about what that might be. Many said that if they felt suffi- ciently provoked, , they could possibly feel driven to defend themselves or someone else in the face of harassment or violence. A few stated that they feared violence and felt that they might not be able to defend themselves if physically threatened. A few hoped that other options might defuse or stop an inflammatory situation. Quite a few students had faith in being able toget help from College staff when they needed it. Several who went that route were satisfied with the response that they received, whether it was a staff member’s mediation with the alleged offender, or the recent memos about the appropriate use of exhibition comment books. with the response that they received, whether it was a staff member’s mediation with the alleged offender, or the recent memos about the appropriate use of exhibition comment books. Respondents made the following suggestions -a more visible policy against discrimina- tion and all forms of harassment -well publicized procedures for handling and resolving grievances. -education for students and staff about tol- erance and the nature of harassment and violence -more good old-fashioned politeness planet of the arts volume 7 issue 7 p ge7 ECCAD's harassment survey senefrom your counselling department eases, controversy, without any comment We hoped to get information about how we are doing as a community in creating a re- spectful environment, and what the current level is for tolerance of differences. So we asked about actual and potential problems: how you handled them, and what it might taketotrigger a violent response to perceived. harassment. How are wedoing? And compared to whom? One student suggested that the issues of the callege are similar to those that happen out- side the college. Another student gave us credit, as a community, for being much more enlightened and respectful than what that student experiences at home or in the ‘workplace While we do not have the data to make comparisons to what happens outside the College, nor to generalize from our returns about the whole college, we can generalize from the 33 responses that we received. ‘Two-thirds ofthe respondents had experi- enced or received, at Emily Carr, some formof harassment that they felt distressed by. Nodoubt, it willnotbea surprise that three times more women than men reported some kind of harassment. In 20% of the described incidents, the alleged harassers were women. Almost 25% of the alleged perpetrators were fellow students and the rest were either fac- ulty or support staff. In 20% of the responses, the harassers were not identified in terms of position within the college. Kinds of Perceived Harassment Much of the harassment was felt to be directly personal-even if the nature of the harassment referred to one's actual or im: plied membership in a specific group. Some harassment was experiences not personal, targeted at another or a group in such a way that the impact created a negative environ- ment, eg. homophobic graffiti Wegotstories of verbalinsults, put-downs, threats, physically intrusive touch or intimi- dation, voyeurism, property defacement and damage, and written or illustrated harass- ments, Students either felt vietimized or had wit- nessed victimization according to gender, sexual orientation, race, age, ideology, com- petition for space or equipment, or in ag- grieved reaction by the other student's behavior. Impact Almost all the respondents were distrib- uted, or atleast put out by their experiences. Many recovered from the incidents without much sense of lasting damage or inconven: ience, but not everybody felt that way. One female student reported that for her, the level of threat with some repeated inci dents varied according tothe tate other own selfesteem on the particular day. Another female student reported that repeated inci- dents hadresultedin helossofa year's worth of work, an unwanted change in her area of study, and a severe loss of self-worth result- ‘ng from her not being able to stop the experi ‘enced harassment. How student handled harassment incidents Most, but not all, male respondents felt better than females about how they handled harassment situations. All males, however, reported confronting the offender and/or re porting it to the appropriate supervisor, eg an Associate Dean. While some female respondents felt they had handled as wel as could be, some did not, confront or report the incidents. A few felt thatit was est notto, others were pessimistic about it improving the situation for them. ‘They wondered whether they would be per- ceived as over-reacting, that they suffer a backlash against them, or that the harasser would not make an effort to improve the interaction. ‘A few confrontations, for both men and women, did, apparently, result in denials, attacks, and sanctions of some kind. Many students felt relatively helpless, wished that they had done something more effective, but were uncertain about what that might be. Many said that if they felt suffi- ciently provoked, , they could possibly feel driven to defend themselves or someone else in the face of harassment or violence. A few stated that they feared violence and felt that they might notbe able todefend themselvesif physically threatened. A few hoped that other options might defuse or stop an inflammatory situation, Quitea few students had faith inbeingable togethelp from Collegestaffwhen they needed it, Several who went that route were satisfied with the response that they received, whether it was a staff member's mediation with the alleged offender, or the recent memos about the appropriate use of exhibition comment books. with the response that they received, whether it was a staff member's mediation with the alleged offender, or the recent memos about the appropriate use of exhibition comment Dooks. Respondents made the following suggestions -a more visible policy against discrimina- tion and all forms of harassment -well publicized procedures for handling and resolving grievances. -education for students and staffabout tol- erance and the nature of harassment and violence -more good old-fashioned politeness