cole Polytechnique: Students continue to experience sexism

An engineeringstudent at cole Polytechnique says things are slowly getting better for women in the field, but theres still room for improvement.

I never felt I was being judged or mistreated in society right now because I'm a woman or because I aspire to be an engineer, said JenniferSernuck, a chemical engineering student atPolytechnique

• POINT OF VIEW: Montreal Massacre lessons took 25 years to learn
• POINT OF VIEW: Polytechniqueshooting shattered us then and still does
• Polytechniqueanniversary: Remember the 14

Sernuck, who won a woman's scholarship, said there are many women in her program.

However, she has heard second-hand that one teacher in the program made sexist remarks about women studying engineering.

He didnt think, still today, that girls belonged in engineering, Sernuck said.

There was no formal complaint made about the alleged comments and the teacher is now retired.

The school says, had it been reported, it wouldve been taken very seriously.

We do not tolerate bad behaviour in our institution so we would take action we would investigate first, said Claudette Fortier, Director of Student Services at Polytechnique.

Someone would meet the student and would meet also the professor if there's a particular allegation against the professor.

cole Polytechniquesays it has created ascholarshipto commemorate the 25th anniversary of the shooting, and the school has increased its efforts to have more female students enrolled.

Enrolment rates not the only issue

Increasing enrolment rates are not the only challenge, according to Katherine Soad Bellini.

Shes a ConcordiaUniversity student fighting against sexist and degrading university chants.

Last year, she introduced a motion to Concordias student council to clean up those chants. It passed unanimously.

I had to act because if I didnt, no one would, she said.

Sexual assault still prevalent

The Sexual Assault Resource Centre at Concordia University has seen an increase in the number of people coming forward with reports of assaults andsexual violence.

Jennifer Drummond, coordinator at the centre,says sexual assault has become so normalized, some victims don't realize at firstthat their experienceamounts to assault.

She says theres a need for more education from an early age about consent.

It needs to be an enthusiastic yes that you want to hear from your partner, she said.

.