Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence and mentions rape. 

As the new academic year begins, U of T has entered the “Red Zone” — a period at the beginning of the school year when sexual assault cases spike on campus. 

The Prevention, Empowerment, Advocacy, Response, for Survivors (PEARS) Project — a trauma-informed student group that provides support and resources to survivors of sexual violence at U of T — has launched its yearly advocacy campaign to inform students about the Red Zone and resources about sexual violence available to them.

As part of their campaign, the PEARS Project collaborated with the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) to educate the university community about ways to prevent sexual assault cases and the reasons behind the spike in sexual violence. 

The university administration has also introduced initiatives including consent modules and drop-in programming to support students during this time.

What is the Red Zone?

Canadian colleges and universities use the term Red Zone to describe the first six to eight weeks of the first semester where over half of annual sexual assaults occur at post-secondary institutions. 

A 2008 study by American psychology professor Matthew Kimble provides empirical support for the existence of the Red Zone. The study found that women, especially in their first year at a post-secondary institution, report more incidents of sexual violence earlier in the academic year. 

Yet, most academic research remains undecided about establishing a time frame for the period. Some studies show that the length of the Red Zone may extend beyond the initial weeks of school, as women are more susceptible to sexual violence in general. 

A 2015 study by Stephen Cranney from the University of Pennsylvania concluded that women in their first-year are the most at-risk group compared to upper-years throughout the entire academic school year. This study establishes that the heightened risk of sexual violence primarily affects first-year students.

What are the causes?

According to the PEARS Project, frosh week events are one of the main causes of the increase in sexual assault cases on campus. 

“This is due to a variety of reasons, including students arriving at U of T with a lack of comprehensive sex-ed… stark power dynamics between incoming students and upper years or mentors like frosh leaders, increased amounts of parties with a lack of safety planning,” said founder and co-director of the PEARS Project Micah Kalisch in an interview with The Varsity. 

Kalisch also mentioned that Greek life on campus, specifically the culture of ‘rushing’ or recruitment among fraternities, adds to the issue. “[Fraternities] are deeply committed to a form of secrecy that protects predators and leads to victim blaming,” she said.

She went on to explain that fraternities can become the place of sexual violence because they are the space where newly admitted students socialize. “For many people, Greek life is the first time they engage with party culture. As a result, they may not have a full understanding of their boundaries and practicing autonomy,” said Kalisch.

Is U of T responsible?

Kalisch and her co-director Lusayo Simwaka agree that the university should play an active role in educating their community about the Red Zone. 

“U of T is complicit in violence and in the rates of violence during the Red Zone. Their silence allows this violence to thrive,” said Kalisch. Simwaka added that spreading awareness about the Red Zone is a matter of sexual education and U of T avoiding doing so is a major accessibility issue.

Both Kalisch and Simwaka also believe that U of T should intervene in campus Greek life. Although the university officially cut ties with fraternities and sororities in the 1960s, the PEARS Project co-directors believe U of T’s stance that fraternities are institutions independent of the university is “frankly bullshit.”

Simwaka called U of T’s decision not to intervene in Greek life “a form of rape apology.” They noted that “[U of T] is stigmatizing survivors by treating the actions of [fraternities] like they are something shameful and need to be hidden rather than standing in solidarity with survivors.”

The UTSU has supported PEARS’ stance on the university’s role in protecting students. 

“[U of T] has a responsibility to keep students safe, during the Red Zone and throughout the year,” said UTSU’s Vice-President Equity Sakeena Mohammad. “Students have the right to feel safe, and the University has a role to uphold that.” 

In a statement to The Varsity, Vice-Provost, Students Sandy Welsh responded to students’ comments, saying that, “while fraternities are independent, self-governing organizations that the university has no affiliation with or oversight over, U of T’s Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment applies to interactions between U of T community members whether they take place on or off campus, including at fraternities.” 

And yet, on September 3, Welsh issued a notice addressed to sorority and fraternity leaders. In the notice obtained by The Varsity, the vice-provost wrote, “The University has become aware of recent online activity and posters on our campus that include allegations of sexual violence and sexual harassment within fraternities.”

Welsh called on the leaders to promote a culture of consent and provided recommendations “to support [fraternities and sororities’] efforts in this area.”

“Even though your organization operates independently, some of your members may be University of Toronto students,” wrote Welsh. “The University Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment applied to all members of this community, whether incidents occur on campus, off campus, or online.”

Welsh noted that students may disclose or report incidents and concerns of sexual violence that fall under the Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment policy through the Sexual Violence Prevention & Support (SVPS) Centre, Campus Safety, or Toronto Police Services. 

Finally, U of T’s Executive Director, Sexual Violence Strategy, Prevention Support Angela Treglia also shared a statement with The Varsity. Treglia wrote that the university is “committed to creating a culture of consent at U of T, an environment where all members of our community can live free from sexual and gender-based violence.”

She further explained, “We do this [with] messaging before students arrive, through orientation activities, with handouts and posters, at resource fairs, and in training sessions for student leaders, staff, faculty and incoming students. This work continues throughout the year.”

Treglia also noted that, as of September, all new students living in residence are required to pass an interactive module on “understanding consent” with a grade of at least 80 per cent. As of writing, nearly 10,000 students have completed the module. She added that more than 4,000 incoming students attended SVPS Centre presentations focused on “setting up, communicating and respecting boundaries and connecting consensually with people” as well.

Throughout September, the SVPS Centre held additional sessions on “managing rejection and queer and trans sex education, along with supportive, drop-in programming.” 

“As we begin this new academic year, we would like to remind survivors of sexual violence and harassment that they are not alone,” Treglia wrote. “We are here to support you.”