Confidential online reporting services will soon be available to all VFS staff, faculty, and students.
Announcement Highlights:
- Vancouver Film School is the latest to partner with REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors) to provide their institution with online reporting resources.
- REES provides resources, support, and increased options for post-secondary staff, students, and faculty to report sexual violence.
- VFS joins other schools like King’s University and University of Windsor in partnering with REES.
(VANCOUVER, B.C.) September 27, 2023 – Vancouver Film School (VFS) is pleased to announce that it has partnered with REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors) to make online reporting services available to their staff and students. VFS joins other post-secondary institutions like King’s University, University of Windsor, Vancouver Community College, and others across Canada.
REES is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week centralized online reporting and information platform that provides increased options for students, staff, and faculty to report sexual violence. It includes multiple reporting options and critical information about resources and supports available both on campus and in the community.
According to REES Founder & CEO Mary Lobson, about 70% of students witness or experience some type of unwanted sexualized behaviour on campus, yet few people actually report the behaviour, something which REES aims to conquer through their confidential service.
“It is our prerogative as a post-secondary institution to provide a learning space that is safe, supportive, and free of harassment at all times for our staff, faculty, and students. VFS has a zero-tolerance policy for all types of harassment, and our school cannot be successful if it is not a safe space for everyone. VFS’s partnership with REES is a measure that will ensure every VFS employee and student has access to the resources necessary to record their experiences appropriately.”-Jonathan Bell – Managing Director, VFS
About Vancouver Film School
VFS is Canada’s premier post-secondary entertainment arts institution, offering an immersive curriculum in film, animation, design, and beyond. VFS is known for providing high-quality education in accelerated time frames and offers 15 industry-led programs in which students graduate in 12 months as in-demand creative professionals. In 2022, alumni were credited on all top 10 domestic grossing films, 5 of the 10 best-selling games, and 9 of the 15 most streamed shows.
About REES
REES is a simple, secure online platform for reporting sexual violence, tailored to the unique setting of post-secondary institutions. Trauma-informed and centred on the needs of survivors, REES gather critical data for institutions while bridging anonymous incident reporting with access to information about reporting options, resources, and supports.
For more information, or to schedule interviews, please contact:
Evan Biswanger
Creative Director & Head of Marketing
Vancouver Film School
ebiswanger@vfs.com
vfs.edu
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