Sexual Violence Policy

Toronto Academy of Education Last reviewed: Sep 27th, 2026 | Next scheduled review: January 1, 2028

If you need support right now

You do not need to file a complaint to receive support. If you have been affected by sexual violence, contact Manisha Yadava, Chief Operating Officer, at info@torontoacademy.ca, or use any of the community resources listed at the end of this policy.

1. Purpose and Scope

Toronto Academy of Education is committed to providing its students with an educational environment free from sexual violence, and to treating students who report incidents of sexual violence with dignity and respect.

This policy defines sexual violence and sets out our training, reporting, investigative and disciplinary responses to complaints of sexual violence made by students that occur on our campus or at one of our events and involve our students.

Throughout this policy, the person accused of engaging in sexual violence is referred to as the Respondent, and the person making the allegation as the Complainant.

2. Definition of Sexual Violence

Sexual violence means any sexual act or act targeting a person’s sexuality, gender identity or gender expression – whether physical or psychological in nature — that is committed, threatened or attempted against a person without that person’s consent.

This includes sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism and sexual exploitation.

3. Training, Reporting and Responding

3.1 Distribution and training

A copy of this policy is included in every contract between Toronto Academy of Education and its students.

We also provide this policy to career college management (corporate directors, controlling shareholders, owners, partners, other persons who manage or direct the career college’s affairs, and their agents), instructors, staff, other employees and contractors, and train them on the policy and on our processes for reporting, investigating and responding to complaints of sexual violence involving our students.

Any company participating in offering student placements on their premises must provide a written undertaking that it complies with all applicable legislation, including the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and that it will give students access to those policies should they encounter issues relating to sexual violence in the workplace.

This policy is published on our website.

3.2 How to report

Management, instructors, staff, employees and contractors must report incidents or complaints of sexual violence to Manisha Yadav, Chief Executive Officer, at info@torontoacademy.ca, upon becoming aware of them.

Students who have been affected by sexual violence, or who need information about support services, should contact Manisha Yadav at info@torontoacademy.ca.

3.3 Confidentiality

Subject to Section 4, and to the extent possible, we will keep the personal information of everyone involved in an investigation confidential – except where we believe an individual is at imminent risk of self-harm or of harming another, or where there are reasonable grounds to believe that others on our campus or in the broader community are at risk.

We do this by:

• making complaints, reports and information gathered available only to those who need to know for the purposes of investigation, implementing safety measures, and other circumstances arising from a given case
• keeping documentation in a file separate from that of the Complainant, student or Respondent

3.4 Your choices

You are not required to report an incident, make a complaint, request an investigation, or participate in any investigation in order to receive supports, services or accommodation.

In certain circumstances, Toronto Academy of Education may be required by law or by its internal policies to begin an internal investigation and/or inform police without the Complainant’s consent, where it believes the safety of members of our campus or the broader community is at risk.

3.5 Accommodation and support

In all cases, we will appropriately accommodate the needs of students affected by sexual violence. Students seeking accommodation should contact Manisha Yadav at info@torontoacademy.ca

We will assist students who have experienced sexual violence in obtaining counselling and medical care, and will provide information about sexual violence supports and services available in the community, as set out in Appendix 1. Students are not required to file a formal complaint in order to access supports and services.

4. Investigating Reports

4.1 Filing a report

Any student of Toronto Academy of Education may file a report of an incident or a complaint in writing.

4.2 Initial response

Upon receiving a report or complaint of alleged sexual violence:

• whether an investigation should proceed, and whether the Complainant wishes to participate in one
• who should conduct the investigation, having regard to the seriousness of the allegation and the parties involved
• whether the incident should be referred immediately to police – in such cases, or where civil proceedings are commenced in respect of allegations of sexual violence, Toronto Academy of Education may conduct its own independent investigation and make its own determination in accordance with its own policies and procedures
• what interim measures should be put in place pending the investigation, such as removal of the Respondent or alternative arrangements for necessary course studies

4.3 The investigation process

Once an investigation is initiated:

• the Complainant and the Respondent are advised that they may ask another person to be present throughout the investigation
• the Complainant is interviewed to ensure a complete understanding of the allegation, and to gather information that may not have been included in the written complaint – such as the date and time of the incident, the persons involved, the names of any witnesses, and a complete description of what occurred
• the Respondent is informed of the complaint and interviewed, given details of the allegations, and given an opportunity to respond and to identify any witnesses the Respondent feels are essential to the investigation
• any person involved in, or who has or may have knowledge of, the incident is interviewed, along with any identified witnesses
• the Complainant and Respondent receive reasonable updates about the status of the investigation

4.4 Findings

Following the investigation, [NAME] will review all evidence collected, determine whether sexual violence occurred, and if so, determine what disciplinary action should be taken under Section 5.

5. Disciplinary Measures

If Toronto Academy of Education determines that the Respondent did engage in sexual violence, immediate disciplinary or corrective action will be taken. This may include:

• disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment of instructors or staff
• expulsion of a student
• restrictions on the Respondent’s ability to access certain premises or facilities
• any other action appropriate in the circumstances

6. Appeals

If the Complainant or the Respondent does not agree with the decision resulting from the investigation, they may appeal to Manisha Yadav, President & Chief Executive Officer, at info@torontoacademy.ca.

An appeal must be submitted within 10 days by letter addressed to the President & Chief Executive Officer, advising of the person’s intent to appeal the decision.

7. False Statements

It is a violation of this policy for anyone to knowingly make a false complaint of sexual violence, 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 of instructors or staff, or expulsion of a student.

8. Protection From Reprisal

It is a violation of this policy to retaliate or threaten to retaliate against a Complainant who has brought forward a complaint of sexual violence, provided information related to a complaint, or otherwise been involved in the complaint investigation process.

Individuals who violate this policy are subject to disciplinary and/or corrective action, up to and including termination of employment of instructors or staff, or expulsion of a student.

Students who report in good faith will not be subject to discipline or sanctions for violations of the career college’s policies relating to drug or alcohol use at the time the alleged sexual violence occurred.

Students who disclose their experience of sexual violence – by reporting an incident, making a complaint, or accessing supports and services — will not be asked irrelevant questions during the investigation process by our staff or investigators, including irrelevant questions relating to the student’s sexual expression or past sexual history.

9. Policy Review

Toronto Academy of Education ensures that student input is considered in the development of this policy and every time it is reviewed or amended.

This policy is reviewed three years after it was first implemented and amended where appropriate. The next review date is January 1, 2028.

10. Collection of Student Data

Toronto Academy of Education collects, and is prepared to provide upon request by the Superintendent of Career Colleges, such data and information as required under subsections 32.1 (8), (9), (10) and (11) of Schedule 5 of the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005, as amended.

Appendix 1 – Support Services

You do not need to make a report to the Academy to use any of these services.

Provincial crisis lines (24/7)

Assaulted Women’s Helpline Toll-free: 1-866-863-0511 | GTA: 416-863-0511 TTY toll-free: 1-866-863-7868 | TTY GTA: 416-364-8762 Mobile: #SAFE (#7233) on Bell, Rogers, Fido or Telus awhl.org

Fem’aide (services en français) Sans frais : 1-877-336-2433 | ATS : 1-866-860-7082 femaide.ca

Talk 4 Healing (for Indigenous women, in English, Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Cree and other languages) Toll-free: 1-855-554-4325 talk4healing.com

Victim Support Line Toll-free: 1-888-579-2888

Hospital-based treatment centres

Ontario Network of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Treatment Centres Hospital-based centres providing 24/7 emergency care satcontario.com

Local sexual assault centres

Toronto Rape Crisis Centre / Multicultural Women Against Rape Crisis: 416-597-8808 | Office: 416-597-1171 crisis@trccmwar.ca | trccmwar.ca

Oasis Centre des femmes (Toronto, services en français) 416-591-6565 | services@oasisfemmes.org | oasisfemmes.org

Durham Rape Crisis Centre Crisis: 905-668-9200 | Office: 905-444-9672 drcc.ca

Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area (SACHA) Crisis: 905-525-4162 | Office: 905-525-4573 | TTY: 905-525-4592 sacha.ca

Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis Crisis: 519-836-5710 or 1-800-265-7233 | Office: 519-823-5806 gwwomenincrisis.org

Sexual Assault Centre of Brantford Crisis: 519-751-3471 | Office: 519-751-1164 sacbrant.ca

Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres casac.ca

In an emergency, call 911.

Toronto Academy of Education 75 Watline Avenue, Suite 101, Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 3E5 torontoacademy.ca