The Courage to Act Foundation is a national non-profit focused on addressing sexual and gender-based violence at Canadian post-secondary institutions. With over 20 years of expertise, we collaborate with survivors, communities, governments, and public and private institutions to co-design systems and strategies for safer, more inclusive campuses.
OUR STORY
In 2018, Possibility Seeds was commissioned by the federal government to develop a national framework to address and prevent sexual and gender-based violence on Canadian campuses while recognizing provincial and territorial jurisdiction over education. This draft framework, outlined in the Courage to Act report, was released in August 2019. From October 2019 to March 2024, Possibility Seeds worked to implement the report’s recommendations. In collaboration with 4,800 key stakeholders, including survivors, students, faculty, administrators, researchers, unions, community organizations, policymakers and all levels of government, we created 83 evidence-based resources and led 79 learning opportunities. Benefitting over 1.8 million post-secondary students and over 200+ post-secondary institutions across Canada, Courage to Act had a tangible, widespread national and international impact.
The Courage to Act Foundation was established to advance these efforts and drive broader systemic change. As a national non-profit, we cultivate safer, more equitable post-secondary spaces where women and gender-diverse individuals can learn, work and thrive.
OUR COMMITMENT
Our flagship initiative, titled, At the Root: A Systems Change Approach to Addressing Sexual Harassment in STEM-focused Experiential Learning, scales one of our previous national research-to-action projects to address sexual harassment experienced by post-secondary students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) internships, co-ops and other experiential learning environments. Women and gender-diverse learners experience the highest rates of harassment in science, engineering, technology and math-driven professions, and At the Root is committed to removing barriers for more inclusive and safe pathways into rewarding STEM careers.
OUR IMPACT SO FAR
1.8 m+
post-secondary students benefited from Courage to Act (C2A) work.
70k+
downloads of 83 C2A resources from across the world.
6092
people engaged in our professional development opportunities.
4800+
experts and advocates joined the C2A network.
200+
post-secondary institutions engaged with C2A work.
79
webinars and skillshare opportunities were developed.
NATIONAL STATISTICS ON CAMPUS GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
41%
of all reported incidents of sexual assault were reported by students.
1 in 10
women experienced sexual assault in a postsecondary setting.
⅘
undergraduate students reported experiencing dating violence.
71%
of students either witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a postsecondary setting.
47%
of post-secondary students witnessed or experienced discrimination based on gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in the past year.
2M
Canadians aged 15 years and older (8% of women and 5% of men) reported being stalked in the preceding five years.
19%
of women aged 15-64 reported they experienced at least one type of harassment in the workplace in the past 12 months (2020).
13%
of men aged 15-64 reported they experienced at least one type of harassment in the workplace in the past 12 months (2020).
2x
Women with disabilities are twice as likely as women without disabilities to have been sexually assaulted.
+ References
41% of all reported incidents of sexual assault were reported by students (Statistics Canada, 2017)
19% of women aged 15-65 reported they experienced at least one type of harassment in the workplace in the last 12 months (Statistics Canada, 2018a)
13% of men aged 15-65 reported they experience at least one type of harassment in the workplace in the past 12 months (Statistics Canada, 2018a)
4 out of 5 undergraduate students surveyed at Canadian universities reported experiencing dating violence (DeKeseredy, 2011)
2x women with disabilities are twice as likely as women without disabilities to have been sexually assaulted (DisAbled Women’s Network, 2019)
2M Canadians aged 15 years and older (8% of women and 5% of men) reported being stalked in the preceding five years (Statistics Canada, 2018b)
71% of students at Canadian postsecondary schools either witnessed or experienced unwanted sexualized behaviours in a postsecondary setting (Burczycka, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, 2020, p. 3)
1 in 10 women experienced a sexual assault in a postsecondary setting during the previous year (Burczycka, 2020, p. 3)
47% of students at Canadian post-secondary institutions witnessed or experienced discrimination on the basis of gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in the past year (Burczycka, 2020, p. 4)
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AT THE ROOT
Over the span of 16 months, with generous funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada, At the Root will make STEM internships, co-ops and other experiential learning environments more inclusive and safe for post-secondary students through resource adaptation, specialized training, and legislative and policy advocacy.
COURAGE TO ACT REPORT
There is an unprecedented conversation in North America on gender-based violence at post-secondary institutions right now. Survivors, administrators, student advocates, parents, faculty and staff, and gender-based violence organizations are pushing for transformative change. The Courage to Act report (2019) centres on listening to these calls to action.
RESEARCH-TO-ACTION
We’re developing new evidence-based tools to respond to sexual harassment in STEM-focused experiential learning settings.
Stay tuned for more information and opportunities to contribute to this vital research!
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