Some international students afraid to report, unaware of process for reporting sexual assault

Some international students are unwilling to report sexual assaults due to fears of deportation and a lack of understanding of Canadian laws, reports CBC. At Cape Breton University, several students have reported to a friend or to the student’s union that they have been victims of a sexual assault. CBC and CTV News report that the students were afraid to formally report the assaults, and that they were often unaware of the available resources. President of CBU’s student union Damanpreet Singh said that another hurdle is teaching students about consent. “We need to educate these students as well that this is not justified, this is not acceptable here,” said Singh. CBU said that it has made resources available online and is working to remove barriers to reporting.