Part of the duties of the DEI office is to review and update policy, therefore I am doing a call out for people who would be interested in being part of a working group to write an Æthelmearc-specific policy around Bullying and Harassment.
Once the working group creates a draft that is approved by the Seneschal’s office then the policy would be sent out to the populace for review and comments before being finalized. If you are interested in being part of this working group, please contact me at ae.dei@aethelmearc.org
In Service to the Dream,
Mistress Gytha Oggsodottir
Kingdom of Æthelmearc’s DEI officer
The SCA prohibits bullying and harassment of all individual and groups. Bullying is systematic and unwelcome behavior which involves the use of influence, threat, intimidation, or coercion to cause hurt or harm to another person or group of people. When the bullying behavior is based on a protected class , that behavior is defined as harassment.
Protect classes include: race, sex, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability
Bullying and Harassment may be overt, as in the following non-inclusive list of examples:
Verbal abuse, including using racial, homophobic, transphobic, ableist epithets, etc.
Non-consensual physical contact, violence, or threatening gestures
Displaying material that is offensive, degrading, or threatening to a protected class
Consistent demeaning remarks or malicious teasing
Stalking or predatory behavior
Covert:
Spreading rumors or innuendo with malicious intent
Deliberate exclusion, isolation, or alienation of an individual without just cause
Using rank, title, or office to intimidate others
Provided that the behavior does not rise to the criteria listed above, bullying and harassment is not:
Single episodes of social rejection, dislike, tactlessness, or forgetfulness
Mutual arguments, disagreements, or fights
The termination, mutual or not, of a romantic relationship or friendship
Reasonable constructive feedback or critique
The test for bullying is the reasonableness of the behavior and the impact of that behavior on the recipient.
Participants engaging in bullying/harassment are subject to appropriate sanctions. If an individual believes they have been subjected to or have witnessed harassment, bullying, or retaliation, that person should contact a seneschal, the President of the SCA, or that kingdom’s Board Ombudsman.
Good evening, please remember that if you feel you have been subjected to any harassment, bullying, or retaliation in the SCA, to contact me directly.
If you know of anyone that has been subjected to harassment, bullying, or retaliation in the SCA, please encourage them to contact me. I can be reached at ae.seneschal@aethelmearc.org.
Their Majesties have made the following announcement regarding the new SCA Anti-Harassment policy:
Unto Æthelmearc do Timothy and Gabrielle send greetings,
By now you are likely at least aware that the Society’s Board of Directors has issued a policy on harassment. While it is a bit broad and vague, We feel it is a necessary thing, and a good first step.
I have heard many voice a concern We share, that of the potential for this policy to be abused.
We would like to try and set those concerns at rest, if possible. In Æthelmearc, our Seneschal is Duke Christopher. It is his responsibility to handle these cases. It has been our experience that he is not prone to rash decisions or snap judgments. Hopefully long before his term is up, this policy has been fleshed out a bit, and he will have written policies for his office that make the chain of escalation one that will permanently set our minds at ease.
I. Bullying and Harassment
From Duke Christopher, Kingdom Seneschal: