International students

Walking among the trees on campus. — Prevention and support at UVic begins with believing survivors.

UVic is committed to preventing and addressing sexualized violence that impacts our university community. We want everyone to feel safe, and to understand the resources and support options available to them. This includes international students, who are an important and valuable part of our online and in person community.

Here is information to address questions and concerns that international students might have about sexualized violence.

UVic (Canadian) Expectations

We want UVic to feel safe and inclusive for everyone, which means we all need to follow Canadian laws and university policies, including those about sexualized violence.

Around the world, people have different ideas about appropriate personal interactions and sexualized violence. At UVic, we define sexualized violence broadly. There is a wide range of behaviours that we think are unacceptable. This may be different from other institutions or countries, so we encourage all students to learn UVic’s definition of sexualized violence. Remember that sexualized violence can happen physically, verbally, and online (email, chatrooms, discussion threads, and social media apps).

To make this easier, we have translated this content into the following languages:

We expect everyone to use respect and consent in all interactions both online and in person. This includes with other students, faculty, staff, and any other people with whom you interact. To learn more, see the translated materials.

We require all students to learn about our community expectations so that everyone understands how to treat each other.

Boundaries (having boundaries & recognizing/respecting others’ boundaries)

You are allowed to have personal boundaries. This means that you are allowed to have clear ideas about what is acceptable and not acceptable when it comes to you and your body and that others should respect those boundaries. We must also understand that everyone’s boundaries are different, and that because of this, we must ask for consent before touching other people, or when asking them to do something that might potentially make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

If someone does not follow or respect your boundaries, you are allowed to tell them to stop. It is not your fault if someone chooses to cross your boundaries.

If you are not sure what is appropriate or inappropriate in the UVic community, you can read more here.

Here’s a short video that explains the basics about consent and boundaries by using tea as an example.

Consent. It's simple as tea.

What you need to know:

Sexualized Violence is unacceptable and prohibited at UVic
International students have the same rights as domestic students around sexualized violence
People who experience sexualized violence are not to blame
Everyone has the right to confidential support and advice
It’s okay to ask for help; asking for support will not affect your temporary resident status

At UVic you have a right to:

Be treated with dignity and respect
Live and learn without experiencing sexualized violence
Be asked for your consent before intimate personal interactions. This includes everything from hugging, to dating, and romantic relationships
Support if you or someone you know is affected by sexualized violence

As a UVic community member, you are responsible for:

Being respectful and practising consent in your interactions with others
Knowing UVic’s expectations and definition of sexualized violence
Asking questions and learning more if you are unsure about these expectations
Understanding that cultural differences are not an excuse for behaviours that UVic defines as sexualized violence

Resources for international students

Where can I go for support? You can call, email, or go to the Sexualized Violence Resource Office or contact International Centre for Students (ICS).

This webpage content is provided in Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, Persian, Japanese, Korean, and French.