Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured image courtesy of Fatema Ali | Multimedia Editor
While many York students were preparing to spend time with their families for the holidays, and celebrate the completion of the term, there was some nefarious activity occurring near campus.
On December 21, Toronto Police Services (TPS) issued a security warning in relation to a string of sexual assaults which took place in the Village.
From the first reported incident on October 24 to the last on December 20, TPS noted a pattern of “escalating violence.” Thankfully, TPS’s public safety alert led to the suspect’s arrest on December 21, and he is now in custody and facing charges. These incidents have, however, renewed concerns about the safety of the York campus, particularly the Village.
The TPS’s crime map indicates that assault is a popular crime in the Village. An average of 316 assaults per year were reported in the York University Heights area from 2014 to 2017. An average of 265 assaults per year were also reported in the same period for the Black Creek, and Jane and Finch neighbourhoods.
A few incidents of recent memory stand out, including a machete attack last January which sent two people to the hospital, a sexual assault in March, and a murder just outside the Village at Keele and Canartic in October.
A look at the TPS website reveals even more recent incidents in the broader area, including two separate shootings on December 18 and 27.
The Village and adjacent areas have endured an ebb and flow of criminal activity; this reflects a larger crime problem in the city of Toronto as a whole.
A look at Ryerson’s surroundings, for comparison, shows significantly higher assault numbers, with an average of 757 per year in the Church-Yonge Corridor for the same period. Assault numbers in U of T’s immediate neighbourhood are lower, at 150 per year, but adjacent areas like the Bay Street Corridor and Kensington-Chinatown are higher at 475 and 389, respectively.
The city’s politicians have grappled with Toronto’s crime problem in the past year, wondering how to address it, with various pundits and public officials suggesting different solutions.
In November, Police Chief Mark Saunders attributed the city’s crime problem to “gang violence,” as the city broke its nearly thirty-year homicide record this passed year.
Mayor John Tory’s plan to combat crime in the city is to pursue a total ban on handguns, as well as pursuing a collaborative inter-governmental effort to invest in youth services and neighbourhood resources.
On combating sexual assault specifically, the most recent government plan was launched by the previous Liberal government in March 2015, centering on more support for survivors, more training and resources for frontline workers, and improved legislation for campuses and workplaces, making them more responsive to employee or student complaints.
Some of the training programs implemented were survivor-focused, and involved sensitivity training as part of basic constable training, and more specialized training to improve officer response in sexual violence cases.
The provincial legislature passed the Sexual Violence and Harassment Plan Act in 2016. This legislation mandated tertiary institutions to have a stand-alone sexual violence policy, to be reviewed every three years with student input, and required employers investigate workplace harassment incidents and complaints.
The legislation also removed the limitation period for civil proceedings based on sexual assault, and eliminated the limitation period for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence to apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for compensation.
Despite all the crime, York students still populate the Village and surrounding areas, mainly because of its close proximity to the campus, and comparatively low rent costs.
Alessia Pimpinella, a first-year social work student, spoke about how she feels “uncomfortable” when she is on campus alone at night.
Emily Haralal, another first-year social work student said, “York is kind of known for sexual assaults, and it’s kind of ridiculous how we haven’t been doing anything about it, besides telling students to be vigilant, and to watch out for themselves.”
Rebecca Anandarajah, a fourth-year biomedical science student, suggests more security on campus, as well as “proper security systems” that regulate access to school buildings.
The question remain as to why, despite five reported incidents, York Security Services only sent out three security bulletins by email (one of which came after the suspect was already caught). The first security bulletin was sent out on October 26 after the first incident had occurred two days prior. Despite another incident occurring on Halloween, and a sketch being released by the police on November 3, no security bulletins were sent out.
The second bulletin was issued on December 21, after the TPS issued a news release detailing five reported assaults, and a robbery, allegedly by the same suspect. The third, and final bulletin was sent out the next day after police announced that the suspect had been arrested.
Given the lack of information from the university, many York students would likely have been oblivious to what was happening, and might have been taken by surprise, if confronted by the suspect.
On the university’s response to the incidents, Kevin Gomez, a third-year computer science student, said that he did not hear about the incidents, and that the university “should have done more to warn students, and let them know what was going on.” He further suggests “a policy where every single incident gets a bulletin.”
The university’s policy is to issue security bulletins for incidents that occur on campus if there is a “risk of recurrence,” “pattern of recurrence,” or if “a security or police investigation will be assisted by bringing forward witnesses and information.”
For incidents that occur “near or adjacent to the university,” the policy states that the university “may decide to issue a security bulletin,” if the above criteria is met. The discretionary wording of the policy when it pertains to incidents close to, but outside the campus, explains why security bulletins were not sent out for some of the recent incidents, but there is a lack of insight regarding how York Security Services makes those decisions.
Wondering how to stay safe in and around the university area? TPS advises students use the buddy system, and “tell others where they are going, and when they are expected to return.” This means there is someone who can notify the police if the traveling person is taking longer than expected. It also means that the police have a starting point in their investigation if something bad happens.
It is common to see students walking to and from school, listening to music through their headphones, and oblivious to their surroundings. TPS says this kind of behaviour is dangerous, and recommends students remain “alert and aware of their surroundings at all times.”
TPS also suggests that students “take the safest route possible,” avoiding poorly-lit shortcuts, or less-travelled routes.
They also advise that students “never be afraid to draw attention to the fact that they feel at risk,” and that they should “move quickly to well-lit or populated areas,” if they feel they are being followed. It’s better to be safe, than to dismiss the suspicion of being followed as paranoia. Swift action may be the difference between an escape or enduring an attack.
York’s major resource for helping students move about safely is the student-run goSAFE service. This service provides a pair of escorts who walk with other students who feel uncomfortable walking alone; however, this service is only available for locations on campus, so students living in the Village are unable to take advantage of it.
Students living in the Village, do, however, have access to York’s Village shuttle service. goSAFE will walk students to the Shuttle pick-up hub, and wait with them until the bus arrives.
During the Fall and Winter semesters, goSAFE services the Keele campus from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the Glendon campus from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. During the summer, goSAFE is only available on the Keele Campus, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The Village Shuttle service operates between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m., everyday of the week. Students concerned about their safety when walking from classes to their residences in the Village can, therefore, use a combination of the shuttle and goSAFE during those hours, to ensure they do not have to walk alone at night.
If a sexual assault happens, apart from 911 emergency services and York Security, the university maintains a hotline to assist victims with counselling and any help they need through The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education.
Other student hotlines exist for the variations of sexual abuse that can occur, and can be viewed on the Centre’s website, including those for male and LGBTQ+ victims. There are also other information and training resources available on the website.
The York U Safety app combines all the above resources in one location. Students can call goSAFE and the other hotlines listed above, as well as other student-support hotlines. The app also provides access to a school map, and all university-operated shuttle service schedules, including the Village Shuttle Service, GO Train Shuttle, and VanGo for individuals with disabilities.
According to the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, “one in five women experience sexual assault while attending a post-secondary institution.” Minority groups are even more at risk, with indigenous women, women with disabilities, women of colour, and LGBTQ+ individuals, more likely to be sexually assaulted. For example, indigenous women are three times more likely to be assaulted than other women. Also, 83 per cent of women with disabilities are likely to experience some sort of violence in their lifetime.
When we think sexual assault, we think women, but men are not excluded, as one in six men are likely to experience sexual violence in their lifetime.
These numbers are too high, and point to a culture of violence in which we must work to change. Statistics show that in 87 per cent of sexual assault cases where a charge is laid, the victim knew the assailant, who was likely a friend, family member, or partner. From preschool to tertiary education, we must educate young people that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.
Let this #MeToo era be a watershed moment in our history. A landmark that marks a shift in our culture, from our schools, to our offices, and to our streets, so that our kids can walk and play safely in our communities, without fear of abuse.
Concerning broader crime in the city, even though the provincial government and municipalities have attempted to stem the tide, it is clear that more consultation is needed with community leaders and experts, to come up with smart policies that significantly impact crime levels. Hopefully, the government will continue to invest in the youth of Toronto’s neighbourhoods long-term, so we can see these high numbers decline.
