Code of Conduct

We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion.

We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks.

Conference participants or anyone interacting with the event violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

  • Verbal or written comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion
  • 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 behaviour

When Something Happens

If you see a Code of Conduct violation, follow these steps:

  1. Let the person know that what they did is not appropriate and ask them to stop.
  2. That person should immediately stop the behaviour and correct the issue.
  3. If this does not happen, or if you are uncomfortable speaking up, contact the conference staff as soon as possible.
  4. A staff member will immediately address the issue and take further action.

Inclusive language

In our commitment to a harassment-free and inclusive environment, we strongly believe it's important to pay attention to harmful language patterns.

Ableism

Words like "crazy", "dumb", "insane" or "lame" are examples of ableist language, devaluating people who have physical or mental disabilities. Its appearance often stems not from any intentional desire to offend, but from our innate sense of what it means to be normal. These words can be avoided by using more fitting, clearer descriptions of what we want to communicate.

To find out more about ableism and replacement terms please read this guide.

Sexism

Using gendered terms like "dude" or "guys" to address a mixed-gendered group of people contributes to furthering exclusion of underrepresented individuals. We strongly advise avoiding gendered pronouns as well as gendered terms.

For more information please familiarise yourself with Geek Feminism wiki guide.

Enforcement

Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, event organisers 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.

Event organizers may take action 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, event-related social activities as well as social media.

Reporting

If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible. Conference staff can be identified by their conference-specific staff t-shirts. Harassment and other Code of Conduct violations reduce the value of our event for everyone. We want you to be happy at our event. People like you make our event a better place. You can make a report either personally or anonymously.

Anonymous Report

You can make an anonymous report here. We cannot directly follow-up an anonymous report, but we will fully investigate it and take whatever action is necessary to prevent a recurrence.

Personal Report

When taking a personal report, our staff will ensure you are safe and cannot be overheard. They may involve other 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 your attendance.

Important phone numbers

Attribution

This Code of Conduct was based on the Code of Conducts of JSConf AU which is based on The Geek Feminism wiki, the work of Valerie Aurora and Conference Code of Conduct.