Changing Conversations: Experts on everyday sexual violence prevention, intervention, and response

With guests Sylvain Coderre (he/him), MD, FRCPC, MSc, Joe Campbell (he/him), Jeff Halvorsen (he/him), PhD, and Kasra Hakimattar (he/him), MSW, RSW

Listen to the three prior episodes in this 4-part series where we engaged each expert individually, and then in this episode, collectively, as part of a panel, to help offer context and clarity on safe workplace engagement practices, tease out harassment facts from fiction, and generate accessible and practical strategies to minimize uncertainty.

This series was spurred by the curiosity of a motivated male-identifying colleague willing to give voice to these common questions in order to learn more about how best to show up for his colleagues, patients, and friends.

With guest Kasra Hakimattar (he/him), MSW, RSW

Is it safe to make jokes? Am I allowed to hug a colleague? Can I offer comfort to someone who is upset? What kinds of touch and interaction are and aren't permissible? How can I check in with others? Can we really trust allegations of harassment? How can I know?

This 4-part series asks these questions of three different male experts in gender-based violence. This third episode is with Kasra Hakimattar, Advisor, Student Conduct & Conflict Management with the University of Calgary.

With guest Jeff Halvorsen, PhD (he/him)

Is it safe to make jokes? Am I allowed to hug a colleague? Can I offer comfort to someone who is upset? What kinds of touch and interaction are and aren't permissible? How can I check in with others? Can we really trust allegations of harassment? How can I know?

This 4-part series asks these questions of three different male experts in gender-based violence. This second episode is with Jeff Halvorsen (he/him they/them), PhD, MPE, CE Postdoctoral Associate & Sessional Instructor, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary.

With guest Joe Campbell (he/him)

Is it safe to make jokes? Am I allowed to hug a colleague? Can I offer comfort to someone who is upset? What kinds of touch and interaction are and aren't permissible? How can I check in with others? Can we really trust allegations of harassment? How can I know?

This 4-part series asks these questions of three different male experts in gender-based violence. This first episode is with Joe Campbell (he/him), Leading Change Community Developer with the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters.

With guest Pam McClusky, Crown Prosecutor (she/her)

Crown Prosecutor Pamela McCluskey is a wealth of experience and knowledge, and she has kindly agreed to return to us! Pamela will round out the first part of the talk she began earlier, and in Part 2, she will speak more about criminal trials and trial processes.

Please note that although Pamela speaks from her perspective as a Crown Prosecutor, she is not speaking as a spokesperson of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service or Alberta Justice. Any opinions expressed by Pamela are her own. Pamela does not discuss any specific case and does not speak to any matter that is presently before the Court in any way.

With guest Pam McClusky, Crown Prosecutor (she/her)

Did you know that longstanding trends show that most sexual assaults are not reported to police, and of those that are, only a small fraction are prosecuted? Did you know that though the defence lawyer acts on behalf of the accused, the Crown acts on behalf of the state and not on behalf of those who have made the accusations?

Join us to listen in and learn from Pamela McCluskey, a local Crown Prosecutor who has been practicing law for over 20 years. Pamela’s work has often focused on sexual violence offences, including historical and cold sexual violence cases. Speaking from her perspective as a Crown Prosecutor, Pamela will describe the role of the Crown in criminal trials, some of what might be expected in criminal trials about sexual assault, and in the process, unpack common misconceptions about sexual violence and the criminal legal system.

Please note that although Pamela speaks from her perspective as a Crown Prosecutor, she is not speaking as a spokesperson of the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service or Alberta Justice. Any opinions expressed by Pamela are her own. Pamela does not discuss any specific case and does not speak to any matter that is presently before the Court in any way.

With guests Pauline Head (she/her), MD FRCPC and Lisa Bell (she/her), BScN

Join us as we discuss the kinds of trauma and violence-informed considerations that govern the nature and content of interactions between specialized physicians/nurses and people who have been sexually assaulted by other people. Learn from long standing colleagues whose decades of experience and insight shine an important light on the myriad considerations that inform a specialized healthcare response, and how to provide information, choice, and control throughout all encounters.

Resources:

The Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team (CSART) is a team of registered nurses, doctors and crisis counsellors who have specialized training and expertise to support people who have been sexually assaulted. They can offer confidential services including medical treatment, emotional support, reporting options, forensic examination and evidence collection for any child or adult who has been sexually assaulted in the last seven days. CSART services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

With guests Pauline Head (she/her), MD FRCPC and Lisa Bell (she/her), BScN

Learn from longtime members of CSART about how this multidisciplinary group works together to respond to sexual violence in Calgary and when to call on them. Listen in on this rich conversation between CSART’s longest serving specialized doctor and nurse and learn from these super-skilled and very accessible experts.

Resources:

The Calgary Sexual Assault Response Team (CSART) is a team of registered nurses, doctors and crisis counsellors who have specialized training and expertise to support people who have been sexually assaulted. They can offer confidential services including medical treatment, emotional support, reporting options, forensic examination and evidence collection for any child or adult who has been sexually assaulted in the last seven days. CSART services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

With guest Meg Martin(she/her), MC

How we understand and communicate about sexual violence is often incomplete. The way someone directly or indirectly describes something that someone else did to them might be an expression of uncertainty, or an intentional testing of waters to see how you’ll respond, or even just an incidental mention of something that could feel inconsequential to them. As a healthcare professional in a position of authority, how you hold space in response to this can be of great consequence for the person in front of you. Learn about how to hold space in these contexts well.

With guest Tamra Burnett (she/her), PhD

Why do survivors report their assaults to the police? What are their hopes from a criminal trial? What survivors want from justice is a complex topic that goes far beyond ideas of revenge and retribution.

Join us to listen and learn from Tamera Burnett, a non-practicing lawyer with a PhD in law. Her specialty is in criminal law, particularly the challenges and unique circumstances of sexual assault in the legal system. Tamera will discuss some of her recent research findings about the justice needs of survivors that she uncovered by talking to women who have been assaulted and exploring their experiences with justice both inside and outside the legal system.