Access is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, language spoken, race, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Disrespectful or discriminatory language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks. Conference participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference at the discretion of the conference organizers.
Harassment includes offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, language spoken, race, religion, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, the conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the conference. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of conference staff immediately in person, by email at accesslibcon@gmail.com, or DM us on Twitter @accesslibcon.
We expect participants to follow these rules at all conference venues and conference-related social events.
- Initial Incident
If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, and you feel comfortable speaking with the offender, please inform the offender that he/she/ze has affected you negatively. Oftentimes, the offending behavior is unintentional, and the accidental offender and offended will resolve the incident by having that initial discussion.
The Access Conference recognizes that there are many reasons speaking directly to the offender may not be workable for you (including but not limited to unfamiliarity with the conference or its participants, lack of spoons, and concerns for personal safety). If you don't feel comfortable speaking directly with the offender for any reason, skip straight to step 2.
- Escalation
If the offender insists that he/she/ze did not offend, if offender is actively harassing you, or if direct engagement is not a good option for you at this time, then you will need a third party to step in.
If you are at a conference or other event, find the Community Support Volunteer, Sam Popowich. If you can't find Sam, there will be other conference staff available to help if the situation calls for immediate action.
Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from the Conference.
Specific sanctions may include but are not limited to:
- warning the harasser to cease their behavior and that any further reports will result in other sanctions
- requiring that the harasser avoid any interaction with, and physical proximity to, their victim for the remainder of the event
- early termination of a talk that violates the policy
- not publishing the video or slides of a talk that violated the policy
- not allowing a speaker who violated the policy to give (further) talks at the event
- immediately ending any event volunteer responsibilities and privileges the harasser holds requiring that the harasser not volunteer for future Access conferences (either indefinitely or for a certain time period)
- requiring that the harasser immediately leave the event and not return
- banning the harasser from future events (either indefinitely or for a certain time period)
- publishing an account of the harassment
Access conference organizers can be identified by their name badges, and will help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event.
During all days of the conference, including pre-conference and sponsored evening activities, there will be a Community Support Volunteer available to help provide support for anyone who has been harassed, threatened, abused, or feels the Code Of Conduct has been violated during the conference.
Community Support Volunteer contact information:
- Sam Popowich
- 780-246-9085
- spopowich@gmail.com / sam.popowich@ualberta.ca
- @redlibrarian on Twitter
We expect participants to follow these rules at all conference venues, conference-related social events, community gatherings, and online communication channels.
We value everyone's participation in the Access community, and will all work to keep Access a safe and friendly space for all participants!