Preventing violence towards women on campus

It is a subject that can be difficult to approach.

However, Brad Robertson has made it his mission to initiate the conversation.

“Sexual violence and gender-based violence does happen, whether we want to pretend it does or it doesn’t,” he said.

The grad student is part of the #ULETHUNITE campaign, an initiative to create awareness about violence against women on campus.

As part of the movement, he and a few other students created the ULethbridge Toolkit App, which provides quick links to Campus Security and the university Safewalk program. In addition, it has hot buttons to turn on your phone’s flashlight and access 911 services off campus.

“To be able to reach such a large portion of the student population was really essential to get the information out there,” said Robertson. “That’s why an app was so appealing just because you can hit so many people.”

According to Statistics Canada, women from ages 15 to 24 experience the highest rates of sexual violence across the country.

The university received $200,000 from the federal government to develop tools to prevent gender-based violence on campus. Robertson’s student grouped worked closely with the YWCA Lethbridge District’s Sexual Violence Action Committee to help make the #ULETHUNITE campaign a reality.

“That’s university life, when people are going away for the first time. We know that it takes a little more risky behaviour with drinking and things like this, so being able to bring more information on campus is always valuable,” said Kristine Cassie, CEO of the Lethbridge YWCA.

Robertson explained that by putting the information out there in an easy, accessible way, it can help shine a light on a dark subject. “I’ve always kind of believed that change obviously doesn’t happen overnight,” he said. “This is perhaps one of those gradual things that will help change ideas around gender-based violence.”