Canadore College launches sexual violence prevention effort

A program that trains people to intervene in potential sexually violent situations will be offered at Canadore College in North Bay, Ont.

The Bringing In the Bystander initiative was developed at the University of New Hampshire. According to its website, the program "assumes that everyone has a role to play in ending violence against women."

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In a media release issued by Canadore, a school official said bringing the program in is a central part of keeping people safe.

"Over the last number of years, we have been working with government, sister institutions and community partners to develop policies surrounding sexual assault and violence," Michael Miscio, the college's manager of health and safety, was quoted as saying in the release.

"This program has the power to prevent sexual assault and mitigate its consequences by encouraging people to see themselves as potential bystanders with the ability to stop an assault before it happens."

The training offered teaches people how to safely intervene before, during and after incidents, the school said. Instruction includes practicing the skills taught through role playing and allows for discussion to formulate individual plans for involvement.

There is also a research component to help determine how effective it is.

Two people are certified at Canadore to teach the program, the college said.