More then 1 in 7 girls in Canadian high school’s report being sexually assaulted by a fellow student. This means in a class of 30 girls, 4 have most likely been sexually assaulted by a peer. This disturbing statistic is often ignored and scarcely discussed. Sexual violence is rarely examined as an independent issue in schools and often lumped in with bullying and other issues.

The Langley School District (SD35) currently does not specifically include sexual violence, in any form, in its code of conduct. We feel its important that it is specifically mentioned, as it is essential for the prevention of sexual violence, for those in charge to take a strong stance against it. It needs to be clear that SD35 stands against sexual violence.

Our school district currently does not have an official policy when dealing with sexual violence, specifically sexual assaults, in Langley schools. We feel having a clearly laid out, official policy will be very beneficial for victims of sexual assaults in our schools. 78% of sexual assaults go unreported and we feel having a clear idea of what will happen (if the victim choses to come forward) will make the whole process a lot easier.

We think both changes are essential for preventing, as well as responding to, sexual violence in our schools. By signing this petition you are promoting both the code of conduct change and the policy implementation. By signing this petition you are standing up against sexual violence and advocating for victims of these crimes.

Visit our website for more info: thelangleysexualviolenceproject.weebly.com