A friend of mine was at a party and noticed a man was pinching butts as a joke. When the man approached her circle, my friend said to him, “Don’t pinch my butt!” Taken back, the man asked why my friend was so curt. “Because it’s not funny!”, her friends replied.
I like this story because it makes some important points:
- Harassment is unwelcomed conduct. It doesn’t matter if YOU think it’s funny.
- Speak up for yourself. Clearly state what offends you. “I don’t like it when ….”
- Stand up for each other. If you see something, offer the offended assistance.
Should you find yourself a victim of harassment during club activities:
- Please write to weclimb@gmail.com. Jose, HV and Kenn have access to this email.
- It’s important to us that everyone feels safe.
- Understand that we have to stay neutral but we take complaints seriously.
- Although confidentiality is important, we may need to further investigate or facilitate discussions between the parties involved.
- Actions will depend on the severity of the harassment but may include revocation of membership and law enforcement.
- Parents will be notified immediately if a minor is involved.
I know the crag can be a romantic place with fresh air, sunshine and our shared love of the rock. But romance in this setting can be tricky so I’m suggesting these rules of conduct.
- Be clear. “I’d like to take you to dinner.” “I like climbing with you but I’m not interested in dating.” “Yes, dinner with just you would be wonderful.”
- The initiator gets two tries. That means, you can ask once and you can ask twice. But that’s it.
- If you are on the receiving end, take note of the above. You’re only going to get asked twice.
- Be kind. This stuff is hard enough without gossip and whispers.
Please remember that your actions reflect on the club. Be respectful to each other, camp hosts, other campers and climbers. Now that you’ve read this post to the end, I hope we can focus on the crag fun by being vigilant with words and actions.