Sexual violence doesn’t occur in isolation. It is often protected, prolonged, and perpetuated by silence and nowhere is that silence more dangerous than when it comes from the very institutions that are meant to protect us.
Whether it’s a university, a workplace, or a health care system, institutions hold enormous power over survivors’ lives. Power over whose stories get believed. Power over what gets documented. Power over who faces consequences — and who doesn’t.
“We take every report seriously,” is often a hollow promise.
Many institutions have carefully crafted policies and public relations campaigns that suggest a commitment to survivor safety. Yet in practice, the processes designed to address harm often replicate it.
Consider a large Canadian post-secondary institution—one of many with an internal process for addressing sexual violence complaints.
But here’s the issue: the ultimate decision about whether a survivor’s report moves forward often rests with a senior administrator.
Not an independent investigator. Not a survivor-informed review panel. A single institutional authority.
This isn’t unique. At many institutions, senior administrators, who are often more concerned with the reputation of the institution than the well-being of survivors, are given final decision-making power. This dynamic creates a chilling effect: survivors are discouraged from coming forward, knowing that the people in power may have more incentive to protect the school’s image than pursue justice.
When survivors speak up and are met with delays, disbelief, or dismissiveness, it sends a clear message: your pain is inconvenient.
Institutional Betrayal is a Form of Violence
This type of complicity is often referred to as institutional betrayal — when the systems and people that should protect us instead contribute to our harm (Christl et al., 2024). This betrayal can be just as traumatic as the initial violence. It deepens shame, erodes trust, and reinforces the belief that no one will help.
Institutional betrayal is not always loud. It doesn’t always look like blatant denial. Sometimes, it’s the slow drip of non-responses. The dead-end complaint systems. The missing paperwork. The “we can’t comment on individual cases” emails.
Its silence disguised as procedure.
When accountability is missing, survivors are often left with impossible choices. Some quietly withdraw from school or work, carrying the weight of injustice alone. Others stay and try to endure — managing panic attacks between classes, hypervigilance in staff meetings, or flashbacks in shared spaces.
Meanwhile, perpetrators often remain in their positions, facing no consequences. In fact, they may be promoted. Protected. Even praised.
What Would It Look Like If Institutions Truly Took Responsibility?
- Survivor-led processes: “Trauma-informed” isn’t a label — it’s a commitment. Survivors must shape how their cases are handled, including options beyond formal investigations.
- Independent oversight: Remove conflict of interest by taking final decisions out of the hands of high-ranking administrators.
- Transparency and accountability: Track and publish aggregate data on reports and outcomes — not just for optics, but to hold institutions to measurable standards.
- Move beyond checkbox consent modules: Create spaces that engage deeply with power, coercion, and trauma.
Silence Isn’t Neutral — It’s a Choice
When institutions choose silence, they are making a choice: to prioritize liability over justice. Image over integrity. Comfort over change.
And survivors feel the weight of that choice every day.
We believe survivors. We witness the layers of harm caused not only by individuals, but by the institutions that protect them. And we remain committed to building spaces and systems where power no longer protects violence.
Until then, we will keep listening. Keep naming the silence. And keep standing with survivors who dare to speak, even when the world refuses to hear them.
Reference
Christl, M. E., Pham, K. T., Rosenthal, A., & DePrince, A. P. (2024). When Institutions Harm Those Who Depend on Them: A Scoping Review of Institutional Betrayal. Trauma, violence & abuse, 25(4), 2797–2813. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380241226627
