GBSV Drop-In Information & Consent

GBSV Drop-In sessions are ~20-minute counselling sessions for students who have experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence. You can attend drop-in in-person at the Caskey-Gilday Wellness Centre, Office 6 or you can request an online session.

Confidentiality and Consent

The Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist uses an electronic record-keeping database called EMHware. Your records remain confidential and can only be accessed by Huron's Wellness Counsellors and the Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist.

Selected data may be used to aggregate statistical reporting about client population. This reporting will not contain any identifying information about students.

The information you provide to the Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist, either verbally or in other forms (i.e., email) is confidential with the following exceptions:

1. They are required by law to report to the appropriate authorities any suspicion that a child (someone who is under the age of 16) has been or is being abused or mistreated. This may also involve making a report if there are suspicions that a youth under the age of 18 needs protection.
2. If you are in serious or imminent danger of hurting yourself or another person, there is a requirement to reveal to an appropriate third party (including your emergency contact person, your parents, and/or emergency personnel) enough information to help you.
3. If you are involved in legal proceedings, the court may subpoena your records.
4. If you reveal that you have been sexually abused by a health care provider who is covered by the Regulated Health Professions Act (e.g., physicians, psychologists) they are required by law to report the name of the offending member to their governing body. In reporting the health care provider, your name is not released unless you provide written permission for the office to do so. It should be noted that the current legal definition of sexual abuse includes both touching of a sexual nature and demeaning remarks of a sexual nature. 
5. The Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist works closely and consults with faculties and departments within Huron @ Western and Affiliate Universities/Colleges to coordinate services for students. As such, information about you and your needs may be shared with others within the University College on a need-to-know basis to assist you in accessing specific services. When possible, this will be done with your involvement and written consent. When referred to the Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist by a specific department or faculty within the University College, the Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist may confirm with the referral source (including Huron's Early Alert Response Team) that they have met with you and that appropriate support is in place.
6. There may be other mandatory reporting obligations that arise less frequently, but if they do arise, we would be obliged to report.
7. The Gender-Based Sexual Violence Advocacy Specialist takes seriously their role to foster a safe campus for you and for others. By seeking these services, you are consenting to the evaluation of the risk that you present to the physical health and safety of yourself and others. You may be referred to a specialist for further risk assessment evaluation; refusal to accept such a referral will be communicated to relevant university personnel.