Why This Matters
We started this project because we saw the real human cost of silencing voices on Canadian campuses. Now we're gathering evidence to create change.
Who We Are & Why We Started This
We're researchers, students, and advocates who have seen first-hand what happens when campus communities silence voices. We've watched intelligent, engaged people stop speaking up because they fear professional consequences, social rejection, or institutional retaliation. We've seen their anxiety increase, their grades slip, their sense of belonging disappear. This project was born from that experience. We believe every Canadian student and faculty member deserves to speak their truth without fear.
The Real Problem We're Solving
Silencing voices doesn't create safer campuses—it creates quieter ones. When students and faculty can't express themselves freely, mental health suffers, academic performance drops, and campus community fractures. The problem isn't just institutional—it's human. People are struggling. And institutions often don't realise it because those voices aren't being heard. We're here to make them visible.
Built by the Defences.app Team
The Student Advocacy Project is developed by the team at Defences.app, a Canadian legal AI platform dedicated to making legal knowledge accessible. We believe technology should protect rights, not just profits. Our team has seen first-hand how understanding legal protections—like the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms—empowers people to speak up and advocate for themselves. That's why we built this project. Students deserve to understand their rights, document when those rights are threatened, and know they're not alone.
Why a Legal Tech Company Cares About Student Voices
At Defences.app, we've spent years helping Canadians understand their legal rights. We've learned that legal protection means nothing if people don't know they have it—and nothing if they're too afraid to use it. Student advocacy is at the heart of that problem. Students face real barriers to speaking up: fear of consequences, uncertainty about their rights, isolation when facing institutional pressure. This project exists because we believe technology and evidence can change that. By documenting student experiences across Canada, we're creating a foundation for institutional change. And we're doing it with the same Canadian values that guide Defences.app: privacy protection, evidence-based decision making, and respect for every voice.
Our Commitment to Your Privacy and Rights
Because we're the team behind Defences.app, we understand the importance of privacy and data protection in a Canadian context. Your data is stored in Canada, protected by PIPEDA, and handled with the same rigorous standards we apply to sensitive legal information. We're not a corporation trying to monetize your story—we're Canadian developers who believe your rights matter.
Our Approach: Turning Stories Into Evidence
We don't conduct surveys from a distance. We listen to real experiences from across Canada—from every province, every institution type, every perspective. Your anonymous story becomes part of a larger picture that institutions cannot ignore.
Here's how it works:
- 1.You share your experience anonymously—the moments that shaped how you experience campus advocacy
- 2.We analyse patterns across hundreds of stories to understand what's really happening
- 3.We publish anonymised insights that reveal the human impact of institutional silencing
- 4.Institutions use this data to rethink policies, training, and support systems
Why This Matters Right Now
Canadian campuses are at a crossroads. Students and faculty are asking harder questions than ever about free expression, inclusion, and belonging. Institutions are feeling pressure from multiple directions. Without data on the actual human impact of these tensions, institutions make decisions based on politics rather than evidence. Your voice changes that. When we can show the mental health impact, the academic consequences, the community breakdown—institutions listen.
Every Perspective Counts
Not just progressive or conservative. Not just majority or minority. Every voice on campus matters—and we're listening to all of them.
Privacy Comes First
PIPEDA-compliant, completely anonymous. Your identity stays hidden while your voice becomes evidence.
Evidence Drives Change
We don't argue. We document. When institutions see the data, they change policies, training, and culture.
Ready to Share Your Story?
Your experience matters. Whether you've felt empowered to speak or held back by fear, we want to hear it. It takes 15 minutes, it's completely confidential, and together we're building evidence for change.
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