Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy

This policy sets out how Wrapture Beauty Academy prevents and responds to sexual violence and harassment under The Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act. It applies to students, staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors, on Academy property, at school activities and online.

  • The Academy has zero tolerance for sexual violence and harassment. Students review the policy at orientation and at least twice a year, and staff are trained every year to respond to disclosures in a trauma-informed way.
  • You choose how to proceed. You can seek support without making a complaint, make a written complaint to the Director/President or Assistant Director/President, or report to police with the Academy’s help.
  • Disclosures are kept confidential. The exception is when someone is at imminent risk or the community’s safety is at risk, in which case the Academy may act or contact police without your consent.
  • The Academy offers accommodations such as academic flexibility or class changes, and refers you to counseling and medical supports.
  • Anyone found responsible faces discipline up to termination or expulsion. Retaliation and knowingly false complaints are also policy violations.
  • The policy is reviewed at least every four years, with input from students and staff.

Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy

Version 2.0 · Effective January 2026

Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to clearly define the responsibilities of Wrapture Beauty Academy (hereinafter referred to as “the College”) in preventing and addressing sexual violence in accordance with The Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act. This Policy sets out procedures to ensure a prompt, compassionate, and consistent response to disclosures and reports of sexual violence and to support all members of the learning community.

Scope

This Policy applies to all members of the Wrapture Beauty Academy community, including students, staff, faculty, administrators, contract service providers, contractors, officers, directors, and individuals who have contact with any students, volunteers, and visitors. This Policy applies to conduct occurring on College property, during school-related activities, and in digital environments connected to the College.

Overview

All members of the College community have a right to study and work in an environment free of sexual violence and sexual harassment, and as such, individuals who report an incident of sexual violence or sexual harassment are to be treated with dignity and respect.

While anyone can be a target of sexual violence and/or harassment, the College recognizes that certain populations are at greater risk of sexual violence in Canada, including:

  • Young women and girls.
  • Indigenous women.
  • Women living with cognitive or physical disabilities.
  • Individuals within the LGBT2SQ+ community.
  • Newcomer women and women from ethnocultural and racialized communities.

We recognize that many of our students attending Regulated Colleges fall within these populations, and we want to emphasize that it is our intent to assure a positive learning environment for all our students regardless of the population(s) they may belong to. To address this, we have called upon members from all populations in the development of this policy.

In addition, sexual violence and harassment often goes unreported, particularly by men, members of religious communities, and/or those who have experienced sexual violence and/or harassment and do not want to relive the trauma. The College encourages anyone experiencing sexual violence and/or harassment to report the perpetrators and seek support through the College or otherwise.

Policy Objectives

Prevention

The focus of this Policy is on prevention. Prevention efforts will focus on creating respectful, inclusive, and safe spaces by promoting equality and dignity for all community members. The College will review physical spaces for safety and reinforce messages of zero tolerance for sexual violence.

Through the application of this Policy, members of the College community will be aware that the health and safety of students, staff, faculty, and visitors are paramount. In addition, students, staff, and faculty will also be aware that any member of the College is ready and willing to provide any support for those experiencing sexual violence or harassment or the threat of same. The goal is to produce an environment where students, faculty, and staff feel safe, and where they understand the policy and how it is applied.

Toward this end, the College will educate and train faculty, staff, and students about this Policy and how to identify situations that involve or could progress into sexual violence or sexual harassment, and how to reduce these forms of prohibited behaviors.

Student Awareness

The College ensures the student body is aware of the policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment through the following:

  • The Policy is presented to the students as a part of their student handbook and in accessible formats upon request.
  • The Policy is discussed at least twice per year with enrolled students through either a group presentation and/or online training module.
  • The College may provide periodic communications circulated to the students through the College media channels, where applicable and appropriate.
  • The College will ensure that all students have access to the Policy by posting it to the College website.
  • The general content of the Policy and where it can be found in its entirety is covered during student orientation.

Students may approach any staff or faculty member to indicate that they need to speak to someone regarding an issue with sexual harassment or violence. That individual will direct the student to the appropriate staff member, if necessary. As part of their training, all staff and faculty will know where to direct students as appropriate.

Since students may feel more comfortable with a specific staff or faculty member, everyone will receive the same training in disclosure and working with those who have experienced sexual violence or harassment.

Staff and Faculty Training

The training will be held annually and will cover:

  • What is sexual violence and harassment? Many students do not realize that repeated attempts to ask someone out, particularly when asked to stop, can be considered harassment.
  • What is consent? This is another area where students need to understand the nature of consent and that it can be withdrawn at any time.
  • How to report an incident and who in the College will be responsible for any follow-up. This includes the options for reporting and disclosure.
  • Education on the subject of sexual violence, including awareness of how social media can potentially be involved.

The College will ensure that senior staff and those individuals responsible for the inquiry process and handling of any concerns raised by the student will have participated in internal training provided by the College on responding to disclosures sensitively and in a trauma-informed manner, with a focus on awareness, monitoring, prevention of sexual harassment, and cultural sensitivity.

The College will also educate individuals not normally a part of the College community by providing them with the Policy. This will include individuals who may interact with the students periodically, such as external contractors and service providers.

The College recognizes the sensitive nature of sexual harassment of any form and wishes to assure all members of our community that we will approach any such sharing of information with compassion and understanding. However, all members of the community should be aware that, depending upon the wishes of those who have experienced sexual violence and/or harassment, the College may be limited in its ability to perform any form of inquiry to determine the validity of a complaint. It is the intent of the College to provide a supportive role and assist the individual by way of the following:

  • Educating all members of our community on sexual harassment and prevention;
  • Listening to complaints and disclosures and responding in a sensitive and understanding manner;
  • Providing information to the student about the College’s response procedure;
  • Offering information or making referrals to support service providers with experience addressing sexual assault and trauma;
  • Providing the individual with reasonable accommodation while on campus; and
  • Making the student aware of their options, to meet the needs of those who have experienced sexual violence and/or harassment and ensure those needs are addressed:
    • Bring the matter to the attention of a College staff person by sharing their experience or concern. Such staff persons may be College counselors, instructors, or appointed individuals. Please note that the College’s ability to take any formal action will be limited in such incidents.
    • Raise a formal complaint where the student wishes some form of action be taken to alter their learning environment or involve the College in possible discussion with the individual on their behalf.
    • Initiate a more formal written complaint, which may involve investigation by an external body or legal action.

Reporting and Responding to Sexual Violence

Where a complaint of sexual violence or sexual harassment has been made, the College will take the following actions where applicable:

  • Immediately provide the information for available resources.
  • Provide those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment with information about reporting options, and seek clarification on what the individual would like to do next (disclose, seek support, or seek law enforcement).
  • Respond promptly to any complaint and provide reasonable updates to the complainant and the respondent about the status of the inquiry.
  • Assist those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment in obtaining counseling and medical care.
  • Provide those who have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment with appropriate academic and other accommodation.
  • Provide on-campus inquiry procedures for sexual violence and sexual harassment complaints.

All members of our College community will take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual violence on our College campus or at College events. All staff and faculty will report immediately to the Director/President or Assistant Director/President if they are subject to, witness, or have knowledge of sexual violence, or have reason to believe that sexual violence has occurred or may occur.

To the extent possible, the Director/President or Assistant Director/President will keep all information disclosed confidential, except in circumstances where it believes an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm or of harming another, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that others in our College community are at risk. Records of disclosures or reports will be securely stored in accordance with applicable privacy legislation.

Reporting and Disclosure Options

Individuals who experience or witness sexual violence have multiple options for support and reporting. They may choose to disclose the incident to a trusted staff member, contact law enforcement, or access counseling and medical supports without making a formal report. When a disclosure is made, the College will respond with compassion, maintain confidentiality, and offer accommodations such as academic flexibility or changes in class arrangements.

Our College recognizes the right of the complainant to determine whether their complaint will be dealt with by the police and/or College management. However, in certain circumstances, the College may be required by law or its internal policies to initiate a more formal internal investigation and/or inform police without the complainant’s consent, if it believes the safety of members of its College community is at risk.

Support without Official Complaint

If a member of the College community believes they have been sexually harassed, they may choose not to put forward a formal complaint, but rather wish to have the school assist them through the emotional crisis. The individual discloses to seek emotional support, medical support, or advocacy, but not to report to authorities.

If the individual chooses this option, the College will provide a compassionate, supportive role. The role in this situation is primarily to be a listener and provide the student with the resources available to them.

Action Where Harassment Has Been by a College Community Member

If a member of the College community believes they have been sexually harassed by a member of the community, they may:

  • Confront the harasser personally or in writing, pointing out the unwelcome behavior and requesting that it stop; or
  • Report the complaint to the Director/President or Assistant Director/President in writing.

Upon a complaint of alleged sexual harassment being made to the Director/President or Assistant Director/President, management will initiate an inquiry.

Actions Where Harassment Requires Involvement of External Bodies

Should the individual wish to lodge a complaint with the local police department or seek medical assistance, the College will provide a supportive role by providing contact information and assisting with the initial communication to the appropriate body.

Disciplinary Measures

If it is determined by the College that a member of our College community has been involved in sexual violence or sexual harassment of a member of our community, immediate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion of a student.

In cases where criminal proceedings are initiated, the College will assist police agencies, lawyers, insurance companies, and courts to the fullest extent. Where criminal and/or civil proceedings are commenced in respect of allegations of sexual violence or sexual harassment, the College may conduct its own independent inquiry and make its own determination in accordance with its own policies and procedures.

Making False Statements

It is a violation of this Policy for anyone to knowingly make a false complaint of sexual violence or sexual harassment or to provide false information about a complaint. Individuals who violate this Policy are subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion.

Conversely, the College is aware that false reporting of sexual assault is very rare and will therefore take each allegation seriously.

Reprisal

It is a violation of this Policy to retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a complainant who, acting in good faith, has brought forward a complaint of sexual violence or sexual harassment, provided information related to a complaint, or otherwise been involved in the complaint inquiry process.

Public Reporting

The College will make the student body and public aware of its compliance with this Policy by stating on its website and in printed matter the following:

  • Posting the Policy on the website and providing access to a copy through enrollment documentation, as well as the student and staff handbooks.
  • Using surveys or other methods to solicit feedback from students and staff regarding the content and application of the Policy.
  • Preparing an annual public summary detailing prevention, awareness, and training activities conducted. No personal or identifying information will be disclosed in public reports.

Policy Development and Review

The Policy is reviewed periodically in consultation with staff, faculty, and students to ensure it remains effective and aligned with current legislation and best practices. Input from these reviews is used to update the Policy as required by circumstance, but no less than every four years. This review process includes:

  • General feedback from staff and faculty regarding the current Policy and any changes or additions suggested.
  • Feedback from students gathered from periodic surveys of the student body regarding knowledge of the Policy, its contents, and any issues that they may perceive or have experienced.

References

  • The Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Act (S.M. 2017, c. 12, C.C.S.M. c. S145)
  • The Advanced Education Administration Act (C.C.S.M. c. A6.3)
  • The Human Rights Code (C.C.S.M. c. H175)
  • The Manitoba Post-Secondary Sexual Violence Policy Guide (Government of Manitoba, 2018)
  • The Personal Health Information Act (C.C.S.M. c. P33.5)
  • The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (C.C.S.M. c. F175)
  • MACC Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy and Guidelines

Definitions

Consent

Consent is central to sexual assault. The Criminal Code of Canada defines consent as it relates to sexual assault as “the voluntary agreement of the complainant to engage in the sexual activity in question.” An individual must actively and willingly give consent to sexual activity. Simply stated, sexual activity without consent is sexual assault.

Young people, like many others, often do not fully understand consent and can feel that the line between consensual sexual acts and sexual assault can be unclear. This is particularly true when an acquaintance, friend, or partner is the perpetrator.

Consenting to one kind, or instance, of sexual activity does not mean that consent is given to any other sexual activity or instance. No one consents to being sexually assaulted.

Where consent does not exist (lack of agreement): a person can express a lack of agreement verbally or through conduct (such as physically resisting advances). The Criminal Code makes it clear that a person can, after initially giving consent to engage in sex, revoke consent at any time by expressing a lack of agreement to continue engaging in sexual activity.

In other words, consent:

  • Is never assumed or implied
  • Is not silence or the absence of “no”
  • Cannot be given if the individual is impaired by alcohol or drugs, or is unconscious
  • Can never be obtained through threats or coercion
  • Can be revoked at any time
  • Cannot be obtained if the perpetrator abuses a position of trust, power, or authority

It is not for the College to weigh or determine whether or not consent has been given. The purpose of the Policy is to inform all members of the community of their responsibility to eliminate harassment and inform those who have experienced sexual violence and/or harassment of their rights.

For more information on consent, please refer to gov.mb.ca/youarenotalone/consent.html.

Cyber Harassment/Cyber Stalking

Often used interchangeably, cyber harassment and cyber stalking are defined as repeated, unsolicited, threatening behavior by a person or group using cell phone or internet technology with the intent to bully, harass, and intimidate an individual. The harassment can take place in any electronic environment where communication with others is possible, such as on social networking sites, on message boards, in chat rooms, through text messages, or through email.

Date Rape

The term “date rape” is interchangeable with “acquaintance sexual assault.” It is sexual contact that is forced, manipulated, or coerced by a partner, friend, or acquaintance.

Disclosure

For the purposes of this document, a disclosure is made to any individual other than the police or other judicial official.

Language

The use of words, expressions, jokes, and references that are unwelcome or that target specific populations can be considered an expression of sexual harassment. These include slurs used against populations, innuendos and references of a sexual nature, inappropriate questions, or continued solicitations.

LGBT2SQ+

The LGBT2SQ+ community includes people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, Two-Spirit, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and/or non-binary.

Rape

Rape is a term used to describe vaginal, oral, or anal intercourse without consent. Although the term is no longer used in a legal sense in Canada, as sexual assault is a broader term, it is still commonly used and widely understood.

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is any type of unwanted sexual act done by one person to another that violates the sexual integrity of the individual. Sexual assault is characterized by a broad range of behaviors that involve the use of force, threats, or control towards a person, which makes that person feel uncomfortable, distressed, frightened, or threatened, carried out in circumstances in which the person has not freely agreed or consented to, or is incapable of consenting to. Sexual assault is a crime.

Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity, or gender expression, whether the act is physical or psychological in nature, that is committed, threatened, or attempted against a person without the person’s consent, and includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism, and sexual exploitation.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a broad term that covers any course of vexatious comment or conduct of a sexual nature that is known or ought reasonably to have been known to be unwelcome, including:

  • offensive jokes or comments of a sexual nature;
  • displaying of pornographic or sexist pictures or materials, including online;
  • suggestive or offensive remarks;
  • unwelcome language related to gender;
  • remarks, jokes, innuendoes, propositions, or taunting about a person’s body, attire, sex, or sexual orientation;
  • leering or inappropriate staring;
  • bragging about sexual prowess;
  • physical contact such as touching, patting, or pinching, with an underlying sexual connotation; and
  • sexual solicitation or advance made by a person in a position to confer, grant, or deny a benefit or advancement to the person, where the person making the solicitation or advance knows or ought reasonably to know that it is unwelcome.

Stalking

Stalking is a crime called criminal harassment. Stalking consists of repeated behavior that is carried out over a period of time, and which causes a person to reasonably fear for their safety.

Victim Blaming

Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or an accident is held responsible, in whole or in part, for the crimes that have been committed against them.

Sexual Harassment Resources

Women’s Shelters & Crisis Centres

Crisis Lines (24/7)

Sexual Assault & Violence

  • Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1-888-292-7565 | Winnipeg: 204-786-8631 | TTY: 204-784-4097
  • Klinic Crisis Line: 1-888-322-3019 | Winnipeg: 204-786-8686 | TTY: 204-784-4097
  • Domestic Violence Crisis Line: 1-877-977-0007 | TTY: 1-888-987-2829
  • Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-844-333-2211

Suicide & Mental Health

  • Manitoba Suicide Prevention & Support Line: 1-877-435-7170 | TTY: 204-784-4097
  • Deaf Access Counselling (24/7): TTY: 204-784-4097

Youth & Rural Support

  • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
  • Manitoba Farm, Rural & Northern Support Services: 1-866-367-3276 | Winnipeg: 204-571-4180 (Mon–Fri, 10 am–9 pm)

Law Enforcement

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

  • Winnipeg Police Service, Sex Crimes Unit: General: 204-986-6222 | Confidential Detective Line: 204-986-6245
  • RCMP: Local detachment offices (varies by community)
  • Altona Police Service: 24-hr: 204-324-5353 | General: 204-324-5373
  • Brandon Police Service: 24-hr: 204-729-2345
  • Dakota Ojibway Police Service: Birdtail Sioux: 204-568-4621 | Canupawakpa: 204-854-2953 | Roseau River: 204-427-3383 | Sandy Bay: 204-843-7700 | Waywayseecappo: 204-859-5070 | Long Plain: 204-252-4480
  • Sainte-Anne Police Service: 24-hr: 204-422-8209
  • Winkler Police Service: Daytime: 204-325-0829 | After hours: 204-325-9990
  • Morden Police Service: Daytime: 204-822-6292 | After hours: 204-822-4900

Sexual Assault Medical Response

  • Manitoba SANE Program (Health Sciences Centre): hsc.mb.ca · 204-787-2071

Counseling & Mental Health Services

Sexual Assault & Trauma Counselling

Community-Based Counseling

Legal Services

  • Community Legal Education Association (CLEA), Law Phone-In & Lawyer Referral Program: 204-943-2305 | 1-800-262-8800 · info@communitylegal.mb.ca
  • Legal Help Centre, Unit 202 – 393 Portage Ave, Winnipeg: 204-258-3096 · info@legalhelpcentre.ca · Drop-in: Tue & Fri, 1:00–4:30 pm

Sexual Harassment Complaint Form

The Sexual Harassment Complaint Form is included in the full Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy (PDF). A designated staff member can provide a copy and help you complete it.

Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention Policy · Version 2.0 · Effective January 2026

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