Algonquin College welcomes new Sexual Assault Investigator
Posted on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023
All members of the Algonquin College community have a right to work, study and socialize in an environment that is free from any form of sexual violence, including but not limited to, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, indecent exposure, voyeurism and/or sexual harassment. In short, everyone deserves to feel safe and secure wherever they are, especially where they choose to learn.
Considering this, Algonquin College has been taking a proactive approach to increase security presence on campus to mitigate instances of sexual violence, and through Project Lighthouse, encourage awareness and education of sexual violence while bolstering mental health and wellness supports for students who have experienced a sexual assault/sexual violence.
Most recently, the College has expanded its Security Services to include a sexual assault investigator. Johanne Marelic is a retired police officer with 34 years of experience at the Ottawa Police Service, working in a variety of divisions from patrol to investigations and in her final years with the service, the sexual assault and child abuse unit.
At the College, Marelic will be responsible for probing all official reports of sexual assault/violence and determining next steps. She hopes to create an environment where people feel safe and secure to come forward and have their voices heard.
“I think it’s important that everybody has a voice, and that people are not afraid to come forward if they have any concerns about anything at all, safety or otherwise,” says Marelic.
Michel Houle, Coordinator of Investigations at Algonquin College, says that the position provides an extra layer of support and security for students when reporting an instance of sexual assault/sexual violence — they can rest assured that their case is being handled with the utmost sensitivity and care.
“Algonquin College created the sexual assault investigator position back in 2018, following the #MeToo movement,” says Houle. “As an institution, we really felt it was important that we have a sexual assault investigator with the skills and abilities to deal with these types of sensitive issues. Johanne comes to us from the Ottawa Police Service where she has plenty of experience investigating cases of sexual assault and child abuse, making her a perfect fit for the role.”
Marelic is eager to put her experience to work.
“Everybody has a right to be in an environment that is safe — I know we can’t change the world, but I want to make speaking out more accessible and I don’t want people to be afraid to come forth,” says Marelic. “That is my goal, for everyone to feel safe. And if they don’t, and something happens, then hopefully they can feel comfortable enough to come forth and we can try to help them.”
If you or someone you know at the College has been impacted by sexual violence or been the victim of a sexual assault, you can file a report with Algonquin College Security Services through their online form or by visiting the Ottawa Campus Security Services office in Room A149 and speaking with Marelic.
Algonquin College Security Services is available 24/7 and can be reached at 613-727-4723 ext. 5010. The Security Services team will take the report of the incident and if you wish will connect you with resources such as the Ottawa Police, Health Services and mental health supports.
Learn more about the sexual assault and sexual violence supports available to staff and students by visiting the Sexual Assault/Violence Reporting page on the Risk Management website.
For more information about Algonquin College’s policies, please refer to Algonquin College Policy SA-16 Sexual Assault/Sexual Violence.
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