WINNIPEG

Manitoba government wants sex assault policies for all post-secondary schools

The Canadian Press Published Thursday, October 13, 2016 6:34AM CST

Sexual assault policies for post-secondary schools.

The bill also calls for both public and private universities, colleges and other institutions to have procedures in place to prevent and respond to sexual violence on campus.(File image)

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WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government has introduced a bill that would require all post-secondary schools to have appropriate sexual assault policies.

The bill also calls for both public and private universities, colleges and other institutions to have procedures in place to prevent and respond to sexual violence on campus.

It would further require schools to include harassment via social media in their definitions of sexual violence.

Earlier this year, Brandon University admitted it made a mistake by requiring an alleged sex assault victim to sign a "behavioural" contract.

The document required the woman not to contact her alleged attacker or talk about the incident with anyone but a campus counsellor and that a breach would result in disciplinary action.

University president Gervan Fearon said the school would no longer use such contracts in sex-related cases and that a formal policy about sexual violence and harassment was to be in place by the end of the year.