University of British Columbia Okanagan ordered to pay $50,000 in s****l a*sault discrimination case

The University of British Columbia Okanagan was ordered to pay a former student $50,000 for discriminating against her because of her gender and disability in the way she handled her allegation of s****l a*sault by another student.

The British Columbia Human Rights Tribunal says the university’s method of investigating non-academic misconduct exacerbated Stephanie Hale’s PTSD and caused her harm to the point that she didn’t could not participate in the process.

Court says while university had a deep understanding of s****l violence and a commitment to supporting survivors, its response did not result in a reasonable investigative process or restore a “discrimination-free learning environment.” “.

The 132-page decision handed down late last month says the discrimination was very serious, involving a power imbalance and Hale’s “unique vulnerability”.

The university was also ordered to pay Hale $50,000 in compensation, nearly $7,000 in lost wages and approximately $8,000 in expenses.

Hale, whose mental disability is considered in the ruling to be a result of her PTSD, alleged she was a*saulted in 2013, but the other student denied the allegations and said what happened was consensual.

Santa Ono, then UBC president, dismissed Hale’s lawsuit against the other student in 2017, citing a lack of evidence.

UBC lawyers went to court in 2019 and unsuccessfully tried to overturn the court’s decision to hear the case.

The Canadian Press does not typically identify complainants in s****l a*sault cases, but Hale has previously said she wants her name used.

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