Fear on campuses: 96% of Jewish students in Canada have experienced or been exposed to antisemitism
A government report reveals a grim reality on campuses: most students are afraid to display Jewish symbols and feel that universities have abandoned them. A third of harassment incidents are carried out by lecturers and academic staff.
An unprecedented and large-scale government study conducted in Canada by "CASE" (Campus Antisemitism and Student Experience) presents an alarming picture of the situation of Jewish students in academia. According to the findings, 95.7% of Jewish students in higher education institutions in the country reported that they had experienced or witnessed an antisemitic incident at least once during the past year, while about 68% indicated that the campus is no longer a safe or inclusive space for them.
The report, which surveyed over a thousand students, outlines the profiles of the harassers and revealed a particularly worrying figure: alongside 51% of incidents committed by other students, a third of the cases (33%) were carried out by faculty members, lecturers, and teaching assistants. The antisemitic incidents occurred mainly on social media (33%), at student group meetings and campus events (25%), and inside lecture halls and classrooms (23%).
Alongside the physical and verbal abuse, the data points to a deep lack of trust in the system: 89.1% of respondents believe that universities do not take antisemitism seriously, and only a third of those affected chose to report the incidents. The main reason for avoiding reporting was the feeling that "it won't help," and among those who did report, 62% were dissatisfied with the handling of the matter.
The consequences for the students' lives are extremely severe: about 72% testify to a decline in their mental health, 60% avoid wearing or displaying Jewish symbols such as a Star of David or a kippah, and about 40% even considered changing their field of study or leaving the academic institution. The researchers and organizations behind the study are calling on the administrations of colleges and universities in Canada to take immediate and decisive steps to eradicate the phenomenon.
