Convention Anti-Harassment Project

The folks over at Girl-Wonder.org have started a project to reduce harassment, especially sexual harassment, at conventions: the Con Anti-Harassment Project.

The main focus for now is on getting conventions to establish, publish, and act on anti-harassment policies.

Here's an excerpt from Karen H's announcement of the project:

Our aims are to encourage fandom, geek community and other non-business conventions to establish, articulate and act upon anti-harassment policies, especially sexual harassment policies, and to encourage mutual respect among con-goers, guests and staff. We don't believe cons can eliminate harassment, but they can reduce it, have ways to deal with it when it happens, and make it clear that it's unacceptable in our fun con environments.

The project offers a database of conventions, both national and global, harassment policy creation tips for convention organizers, and a moderated safe-space forum for people to talk about their experiences of or witnessing of harassment. Template letters are also provided for those looking to find out more about a convention's established harassment policies, request the convention include a clear anti-sexual harassment policy, or praise a con for including one.

I imagine some people's response to hearing about this project will be "But why would cons need an anti-harassment policy?" That and a bunch of other questions are answered by the thorough and sensible FAQ.

It looks to me like a valuable and worthwhile project. Stop by and take a look, and if you like it, spread the word!

I should note that I didn't help create the project; I just think it's a good idea. So if you have questions, best to ask the Girl-Wonder folks (there's an email link at the bottom of the FAQ page) rather than me; and if you want to thank someone for putting this together, thanks go to them, not to me.

2 Responses to “Convention Anti-Harassment Project”

  1. Jackie M.

    Those are some horrifying stories they cited over there. Particularly the Comic-con ones. Good grief.

    reply
  2. Debby B.

    I think their Q and A statement is really well written. I can’t think how many times I’ve had to find just the right polite but firm tone to explain this when it seems so amazingly obvious to me.

    reply

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