This article discusses sexual violence and may be triggering for some readers. The Kingston Sexual Assault Centre’s 24-hour crisis and phone line can be reached at 613-544-6424 / 1-800-544-6424. For on campus , community may email [email protected].
This article includes descriptions of anti-Black racism and may be distressing to some readers. The Black Youth Helpline can be reached toll free at 1-833-294-8650.
This article discusses drug overdoses, which may be distressing or triggering for some readers. The Connex Ontario Line can be reached at 1-866-531-2600.
Mya Haines, ArtSci ’26, senses a stigma around the use of emergency services on-campus.
She believes this reluctance stems from a fear among students, painting them as vulnerable and deterring them from seeking the help they may urgently need.
Since 2020, the number of criminal, misconduct, and safety incidents at Queen’s has steadily risen. In 2023, Queen’s reported a total of 10,630 incidents through the Office of Risk and Safety Services, with the highest number of sexual assaults in 10 years.
According to the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health, trust in law enforcement is relatively low among racialized, immigrant, Indigenous, and students with mental illnesses, largely due to the overrepresentation of these groups in fatal police interactions. This has made campus security a somewhat contentious issue for students and security personnel alike.
“I feel protected by the Queen’s emergency services I’m aware of, but I feel my knowledge of what is available to me is limited—I think I would feel more protected if I was more educated on the extent of these services, where I can find them, and how to them,” Haines said in a statement to The Journal.
A lack of awareness is not the only thing preventing students from using services like Walkhome.
Both Haines and Walkhome staff recognize the stigma surrounding emergency services, but finding a solution remains even more challenging.
“We have noticed there is a stigma when it comes to using Walkhome among the student body—through data, we have spotted a trend in male-identifying individuals who, due to the pressure of social stereotypes and expectations, use Walkhome less than other identities,” Head Manager of Walkhome Andrew Dam said in a statement to The Journal.
“This stigma is a product of the culture among young adults across Canada,” Dam said.
“Changes in culture take place over the span of years. As much as we try our best, it’s not realistic in the short-term for us to change what has unfortunately been embedded in our society,” he added.
Given the slow pace of cultural change, emphasis is shifted to what can be adjusted in the near term.
“What we can do then is change the perception of our service,” Dam said.
At its core, Walkhome hopes to promote a safer space in our community, he explained. However, it can just as much be a social service.
“Sometimes, after a long, arduous day, it can be nice to debrief with pairs of non-judgmental ears rather than walk home alone with nothing but the sound of your thoughts roaming around in your head,” Dam said.
“To resolve stigmas around the use and emphasize the importance of these services through increased awareness and testimonials or reviews from individuals with positive experiences,” Haines said.
Campus security refers to the measures, personnel, and policies in place to ensure the safety and security of students, faculty, staff, and visitors on-campus. This can include a dedicated campus police force, security officers, surveillance systems, emergency response plans, and safety education programs.
“Students and staff at these services can work together to make using services more accessible by ensuring students are aware of the resources available to them, and informing the greater student body of how positive and important these services can be,” Haines said.
Haines has become more comfortable using emergency services throughout her years at Queen’s, believing it’s mainly due to a shift in increased feelings of comfort and familiarity with the Queen’s campus.
“It takes more strength to ask for help than it does to avoid it,” Haines said.
Chris Scott, director of Campus Security & Emergency Services (CSES) at Queen’s, believes campus security is a key component of student wellness.
Working to tackle misconceptions about campus security, Scott hopes to ultimately reframe CSES as a facet of student wellness.
Scott comes from a background in law enforcement and has held his position for the past nine months. In the role, he hopes to reshape student perceptions of campus security as a mechanism rather than as an extension of law enforcement.
“When you look at Queen’s CSES, security is obviously the highlight,” Scott said in an interview with The Journal. “But I don’t really see it as that. I see us really as here to enhance the comfort level of our students and see us more as an advocate.”
CSES gets approximately 10,000 calls per year, according to Scott. Many of these calls relate to mental health crises from victims themselves or from concerned friends or family .
One major safety issue at universities across Canada is fatal drug supplies, said Scott. Educating students about the dangers involved in drug use in a judgment-free manner is key to protecting students on campus. While this may only affect a small portion of the student body at Queen’s, the consequences can be devastating without intervention.
“It’s a very small percentage that may experiment, but at the same time, the risk for that small percentage is very high,” Scott said.
In addition to issues like mental health crises and drug overdoses, there are safety issues that affect racialized students uniquely.
“Students, staff and faculty at some of Canada’s largest universities say they have experienced anti-Black racism on campus, and that they were targeted if they spoke out about their treatment,” an investigation by The Fifth Estate found.
Black students must navigate institutional obstacles created by Canada’s colonial history, which can take a significant toll on these students’ overall wellness.
“Experts and activists say cases of anti-Black racism are plaguing the hallways of higher learning and that students are not the only ones dealing with it—they say systemic racism is prevalent and universities and colleges alike are failing Black Canadians,” CBC reports.
While CSES is responsible for addressing harassment and hate crimes against students, some students, especially those from minority groups, do not feel comfortable reaching out for help.
“Not all student populations have positive relationships with police and police-related services—many groups, and possibly the individual that you are ing, have had historically antagonistic relationships with policing services that have led to negative outcomes,” the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health reports.
This is a key consideration for Scott. CSES has historically partnered with local police liaisons and other emergency services.
“We want to normalize the presence of security, but at the same time, we want to be sensitive that our presence can cause some people discomfort,” he said.
By prioritizing effective communication and engagement between security personnel and students, Scott hopes to improve trust in CSES, especially among marginalized students. He wants all students to feel comfortable around security personnel so that they are more likely to ask for help when it is needed.
“We have to continue to build bridges with marginalized communities and overpoliced communities, and we can only do that if we present ourselves in a positive manner,” Scott said.
CSES has collaborated with Student Wellness Services (SWS) and various student associations to bridge the gap between campus security and the community they serve. This past spring, security personnel met with representatives from Student Wellness to address student concerns.
“Most importantly, we wanted to educate our security officers on how their day-to-day interactions intersect and the other student wellness areas,” Scott said.
Security personnel underwent training on how to appropriately respond to crisis situations and direct students to the right resources.
“If you’re in crisis, you’re not thinking beyond that crisis,” Scott said. “That’s where our security has the opportunity to present that information and follow up with students to direct them to resources in times of need.”
To improve trust and comfort levels among all demographics, Scott has facilitated training opportunities for security personnel in areas such as equity and student wellness.
“Intersections [with student wellness] are happening all the time. Do we get it right each and every time? No, we don’t. But what I try to stress is that we’re all humans […]every day is an opportunity for our security people to improve our interactions and build relationships,” Scott said.
Tackling misconceptions about campus security is another way to improve the perceived accessibility of CSES—not only at Queen’s, but at all Canadian universities.
Students might incorrectly believe that campus security and police have the power to expel them from campus or that they can be armed with potentially lethal weapons when responding to calls, the Centre for Innovation in Campus Mental Health adds.
Scott noted the distinction between campus security and contracted security partners. While contracted security partners focus primarily on protecting specific buildings or addressing specific security concerns, campus security’s main purpose is to student comfort and wellness.
“[Contracted partners] aren’t interacting with student wellness on a regular basis,” Scott said. “They’re not going to be there to assist that student from the time they come into Queen’s until the time they leave Queen’s, whereas we’re going to be.”
When students are in crisis, it’s important for them to know who’s at the other end of the line if they choose to call CSES.
Scott hopes this shift will encourage students to reach out to CSES for help. If campus safety initiatives prioritize equity and student wellness, safety leaders like Scott believe campus security will be able to better serve all segments of the community.
Tags
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].