WWC Logo

Home > About WWC > archive > 2021 > Social Contract > Harassment Policy

When Words Collide Harassment Policy

When Words Collide (WWC) is dedicated to providing a safe, collegial, harassment-free event experience for all attendees. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. If we stand together to eliminate abusive behaviour, the abusers will have nowhere to hide.

Application

This Policy applies to all attendees of WWC events, including participants/attendees, guests, staff, and merchants. All attendees are expected to comply with this policy at the event venue and all event-related social events, whether in-person or online.

What is Harrassment?

Harassment includes any unwanted physical or verbal behaviour that offends or humiliates you. Harrassment can be a serious one-time incident, or an ongoing pattern of lesser behaviours. Harrassment does not include any non-public behaviours between consenting individuals.

Harassment occurs when someone makes unwelcome remarks or jokes about you; or threatens or intimidates you, either because of your personal characteristics [Note 1], or on the basis of any of the Prohibited Grounds for discimination listed in The Canadian Human Rights Act (Note 2).

Harrassment also includes unwelcome physical contact with you, such as touching, patting, or pinching; or any offence against your person under Alberta or Canadian criminal law.

Examples of Harassment

Dealing with Harrassment

Every person who attends a WWC event, whether as a passholder, staff, guest, merchant, or otherwise, is encouraged to react appropriately to any incident of harrassment they see or are involved in. Appropriate responses include:

Sanctions

Any attendee found violating this policy may be warned, expelled from the event, or expelled from future events at the discretion of the event organizers. In addition, the police or other agencies my be involved as appropriate.

Anyone asked to leave the event by the organizers is legally required to do so (see the Alberta Trespass to Premises Act). This applies to the entire property of the event venue, including any parking areas.

horizontal section divider

Note 1: A partial list of examples includes: size or shape of your body, accented speech, wardrobe choices, tattoos, etc.

Note 2: Canadian Human Rights Act Part I 3(1): "For all purposes of this Act, the prohibited grounds of discrimination are race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability, and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered."

References