At Raven Canticle Press, we believe conferences, workshops and conventions are an integral part of the literary community. We love going to them – we get to catch up with our friends, chat to our community and authors, and participate in a lot of fun activities. We are eager to support and promote local conventions, even if we can’t attend them in person.

We want conventions to be safe and inclusive spaces for all. Unfortunately, we know of too many instances where our colleagues, customers and friends have been harassed or made to feel uncomfortable at events. We believe strongly that having a policy in place which explicitly censures harassing behavior and provides a clear procedure for reporting any such incidents, creates a safer and more welcoming environment for people at the greatest risk of harassment.

As such, Raven Canticle Press will not exhibit, present, or participate in, or provide support for, events which don’t have a publicly posted and enforced anti-harassment policy.

If you are organizing an event and interested in support, contact us with details of your event, and a link to your anti-harassment policy. Please include details of the size and nature of your event. If you don’t currently have an anti-harassment policy, we’ll be happy to help you develop one that meets your event’s needs.

What do we mean by an anti-harassment policy?

Anti-harassment policies are sometimes known as a code of conduct or harassment policy. These are the essential elements of an anti-harassment policy.

• An open commitment to oppose harassment regardless of gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.
• A clear definition of harassment.
• A public protocol for conflict resolution – instructions on how to report harassment, how harassment is dealt with, and how that is then reported back to the person who was harassed.
• Staff who are made aware of the policy, understand it and know how to implement it, and know who is ultimately responsible for enforcing it.
• The policy is prominently and clearly displayed on the website, in the program and on site.

There are variants; for example, an adult convention might have different standards to one which includes children. Some policies cover the display of images and sale of adult material and cosplay.

Why have an anti-harassment policy?

We support anti-harassment policies because they:

• encourage attendees and staff to call out, report and oppose harassment rather than accept it.
• discourage poor behavior by defining what it entails, and making it clear that it is socially unacceptable, and there are consequences.
• engender a safe and welcoming environment for everyone.
• protect our staff members when we attend conventions
• make named people responsible for dealing with harassment and offer a practical process for dealing with harassment which helps both the attendees and the organizers.

Raven Canticle Press Staff Code of Conduct

Conventions are a lot of work, and oftentimes Raven Canticle Press works with volunteers to help us run our booth, exhibit, represent or sell product, or help support our team.

Our team (those who work at Raven Canticle Press or those who are volunteering or freelancing for us) are held to the highest standards of conduct.

If you feel a Raven Canticle Press associated individual has violated the below policy, please contact the convention or event staff, so they can address it immediately.

Raven Canticle Press is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone [regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age or religion]. We do not tolerate harassment of our event participants in any form. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event and reported to any event organizers/conference officials immediately.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination [related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, [your specific concern here].
• Sexual images in public spaces
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following
• Harassing photography or recording
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events
• Inappropriate physical contact
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior

Enforcement

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, Raven Canticle Press staff retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the conference [with no refund].

Raven Canticle Press staff may act to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants.

We expect participants to follow these rules at all event venues and event-related social activities. We think people should follow these rules outside event activities too!

Additionally, the Raven Canticle Press booth is open for those who need a place to remove themselves from a situation. Simple let our staff know your needs (as detailed as you’d like) and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Reporting

If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Raven Canticle Press staff can be identified by t-shirts or at our booth. Harassment and other code of conduct violations reduce the value of our event for everyone. We want you to be happy

Personal Report

You can make a personal report by:

Calling or messaging this phone number: 3852418118. This phone number will be continuously monitored for the duration of the event.

Contacting a staff member, identified by Raven Canticle Press badges, buttons, or shirts.

When taking a personal report, our staff will ensure you are safe and cannot be overheard. They will involve event staff to ensure your report is managed properly. Once safe, we’ll ask you to tell us about what happened. This can be upsetting, but we’ll handle it as respectfully as possible, and you can bring someone to support you. You won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we won’t tell anyone who you are.

Our team will be happy to help you contact hotel/venue security, local law enforcement, local support services, provide escorts, or otherwise assist you to feel safe for the duration of the event. We value you.