Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Resources
Edited and expanded by Lindsay Bilodeau, PhD Candidate, Victoria University of Wellington
Content warning: harassment, discrimination and abuse
All students, faculty, and staff have the right to work and learn in a safe and welcoming environment. Discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex or gender, sexual orientation, age, race, religion, and ability, creates a barrier to equality and equity and is discriminatory under the Canadian Human Rights Act. University procedures differ, but every school has some kind of office for equity and human rights. If you have experienced harassment, seek redress as soon as you feel comfortable, through whatever channels you feel work best for you.
Harassment can take a variety of forms, including inappropriate remarks (whether sexually suggestive, racist, ableist etc., persistent jokes or comments about your age or appearance, pestering phone calls, the display of sexist or racist materials, inappropriate physical contact, and assault. Survivors of these forms of abuse or harassment may be any age, sexuality, gender, ethnicity or have any level of ability. The harasser can be at the same or a different position within the institution as the person being harassed. Harassment can take place once or over an extended period of time. Because harassment creates a negative or hostile environment that can cause a lot of harm, including interfering with your job performance and academic success, all forms of it should be taken very seriously.
However, it’s not always easy to know what constitutes harassment—or what to do about it. People who object to ethnic jokes or sexually suggestive remarks may be told they should “lighten up,” or be otherwise made to feel that they are overreacting in their objections. If you are being harassed or discriminated against, you have every right to seek help, support, and redress. If someone is harassing you or discriminating against you, it is not your fault and you don’t have to deal with it all by yourself. Most universities have free counseling services; your graduate director, graduate student representatives, or union stewards can help direct you to the appropriate university officials. If you’re not comfortable going to your university for help, or your university is not providing the right support and action to help you, there are other resources. Below, we have compiled resources for people facing discrimination based on their sex or gender, their sexuality, ethnicity, religion, financial situations, and/or mental health.
Broad resources
· General information on discrimination in Canada: https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/eng/content/what-discrimination
· Legal resources for redress: https://www.hrlsc.on.ca/en/contact-hrlsc/you-contact-us
· Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime https://crcvc.ca/links/
Racism anti-BIPOC
· Canadian Heritage, anti-racism resources https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/anti-racism-engagement/resources.html
· Ontario Human Rights Commission http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/racial-discrimination-brochure
· Black Legal Action Centre https://www.blacklegalactioncentre.ca/
· Guide on racial discrimination and harassment https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/8f52-Racial-Discrimination-Harassment.pdf
· Urban Alliance on Race Relations https://www.urbanalliance.ca/
Indigenous specific:
· National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health https://www.nccih.ca/28/Social_Determinants_of_Health.nccih?id=337
· Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council https://www.tassc.ca/
· Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres https://ofifc.org/
· National Association of Friendship Centres https://www.nafc.ca/en/friendship-centres
Ableism/ability-related
· Canada human Rights Commission Disability Rights https://www.chrc-ccdp.gc.ca/eng/content/persons-disabilities
· Canadian Civil Liberties Association Disability Rights resources https://ccla.org/useful-resources-for-people-with-disabilities-related-to-employment-and-access/
Mental health
· Government of Canada Mental Health Support https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/mental-health-services/mental-health-get-help.html
· Website that helps you find regional help from the Canadian Mental Health Association: https://cmha.ca/find-your-cmha
· Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport https://www.ccmhs-ccsms.ca/mental-health-resources-1
· Carleton University list of mental health resources province by province https://carleton.ca/wellness/provincial-support-resources/
· Crisis Line Ottawa and surrounding counties https://crisisline.ca/
· Anxiety support https://anxietypanicsupport.com/
· National Suicide Prevention Support line: 1.833.456.4566 / www.crisisservicescanada.ca, Quebec Residents: 1.866.277.3553
· Dealing with Depression https://dwdonline.ca/
Sexual assault/violence
· Government of Canada Sexual Misconduct Support Resources Search tool https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/benefits-military/conflict-misconduct/operation-honour/sexual-misconduct-response-centre/resources-search-tool.html
· Canadian Women’s Foundation https://canadianwomen.org/the-facts/sexual-assault-harassment/
· Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres https://sexualassaultsupport.ca/
· Connect – family and sexual abuse network Calgary http://www.connectnetwork.ca/
· Status of Women Canada – list of resources, province by province https://cfc-swc.gc.ca/violence/knowledge-connaissance/canada-en.html?wbdisable=true
LGBTQIA+
· The LGBTQIA+ Guide to Online Security https://www.vpnmentor.com/blog/lgbtq-guide-online-safety/
Pflag https://pflagcanada.ca/resources/
o Provincial chapters of Pflag https://pflagcanada.ca/pflag-chapters/
· Qmunity BC’s Queer, Trans and Two Spirit Resource Centre http://www.qmunity.ca/
· The Lifeline Canada https://thelifelinecanada.ca/resources/lgbtq/
· Addiction Resource LGBTQ+ resources https://www.addictionresource.net/best-drug-rehab-centers/lgbt/
· OK2BME https://ok2bme.ca/resources/outside-of-canada/international-resources/
· Rainbow Resource Centre https://rainbowresourcecentre.org/
· An Easy Guide To Gender-Inclusive Language https://word.tips/gender-inclusive-language/
· LGBTQ Housing Discrimination https://ipropertymanagement.com/guides/lgbtq-housing-discrimination
· 55 LGBTQ+ Job Search & Career Resources in 2023 https://novoresume.com/career-blog/lgbtq-jobsearch-resources
· Financial Resources for LGBTQ Students (US-Based): https://www.creditdonkey.com/resources-lgbtq-students.html
Socio-economic based
· Homeless Hub General Resources https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/legal-justice-issues/discrimination
Indigenous specific:
· Homeless Hub Indigenous-specific Resources https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/population-specific/indigenous-peoples