Alleged 'homophobic' Winters College assault inspires METRAC push

Nicholas Maronese
Editor-in-Chief
A female York community member was allegedly assaulted by three males outside of a Winters College bathroom early Wednesday, April 6, prompting students and student leaders to call for a “cultural shift” at York University.
Valerie Bustros, an employee at the Student Centre’s Underground restaurant, said she had just left Winters’ Absinthe Pub at 1:35 a.m. to use the washroom, but was stopped at the door by a male, who pointed out she was entering the women’s washroom. Bustros replied, “Dude, I’m a lesbian, not a guy, relax,” and proceeded inside as he cursed at her.
When she came back out, the man allegedly started screaming profanities at her, then wrestled her to the ground. They separated, and continued yelling at each other, until the man, then joined by two others, again pushed Bustros to the ground, kicking her in the face as she swung her fists at them.
Bouncers from the pub managed to break them up, but by the time York security arrived, the suspects had fled. York security then left to respond to a fire alarm, and returned with Toronto police officers.
The three alleged attackers are similarly described in a York security bulletin as South Asian, around 24 years old, with black clothing.
Bustros has called the attack homophobic, and said she’s only approached media because incidents like these still occur too frequently. She thinks more campus security guards are needed to stop them.
The incident inspired a community meeting in the Winters College dining hall the evening of Friday, April 8, which drew about 75 people and several media outlets. The event was paneled by members of the York Federation of Students (YFS), Glendon student union and the Glendon Positive Space Committee, who pushed for increased pressure in implementing the changes recommended by the METRAC safety audit released June 2010.
“There needs to be a cultural shift here at York,” said Alastair Woods, external coordinator for Trans Bisexual Lesbian Gays Allies at York. None of the security upgrades like lighting or cameras could have prevented this assault, he told the assembly. “It needs to start with education.”
Woods was one of several students who called on administration to reexamine mandatory undergraduate equity or women’s studies courses, a controversial METRAC suggestion York president Mamdouh Shoukri said was “not feasible and pedagogically sound” late March 2011. Woods saw support, however, from incoming YFS president Vanessa Hunt, who said community members should work together in reconsidering this option.
Sarah Byrnes, a second-year Glendon student, also liked the idea of making such a course mandatory, though she had reservations. “It needs to be done in a way so that people take it seriously,” said Byrnes. “People shouldn’t feel like they’re being forced into it.”
Other students called for a revision of the GoSafe campus safety escort system, and for a review of York security’s non-intervention policy. A member from the Undergraduate Sexuality Studies Association proposed a queer-focused “CrossWalk” march modeled on the Toronto SlutWalk held earlier in the week.
President Shoukri released a statement on the alleged assault Friday afternoon, calling it “distressing.” Shoukri wrote “We must work together, each of us, to find ways to ensure this never happens again.” The president also apparently called Bustros directly; she said he told her the administration would look again at the METRAC report.
This past March representatives from York Security Services noted many METRAC changes are actively being considered, including  additional security officers; a community-centred review of the non-intervention policy beginning fall 2011; and new GoSafe vehicles and campus routes.