Harassment Policy

Harassment Policy

GKHAT will not tolerate harassment of any nature at any level.

GKHAT is committed to providing an environment for athletes, coaches, staff, and volunteers in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Each individual is entitled to an environment that is free of inequities and discrimination.

GKHAT is committed to the education of all of its members in the area of harassment. The policy applies to all athletes, coaches, clubs, employees, volunteers, directors, and members of GKHAT during the course of business, activities, and events. The policy will also apply outside of GKHAT business, activities, and events when harassment has an adverse effect on relationships within GKHAT’s environment.

Every member of GKHAT has a responsibility to play a part in ensuring that the sport environment is free from harassment. This means not engaging in, allowing, condoning, or ignoring behaviour contrary to this policy. In addition, any member of PGSC who believes that a fellow member has experienced or is experiencing harassment has a duty to notify one of the Harassment Advisors appointed under this policy.

Prevention
GKHAT is committed to the eradication of harassment through education.

Harassment Defined
Harassment is generally defined as behavior including comments, conduct, or gestures directed towards an individual or group of individuals which is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, malicious, degrading, or offensive and may include:

• Written or verbal abuse or threats;
• Racial or ethnic slurs;
• Display of visual material which is offensive or which one ought to know is offensive;
• Unwelcome remarks, jokes, comments, innuendos, or taunting about a person’s looks, body, attire, age, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation;
• Leering or other suggestive or obscene gestures;
• Condescending, paternalistic, or patronizing behavior which undermines self-esteem, diminishes performance, or adversely affects the sport environment;
• Practical jokes which cause awkwardness or embarrassment, endanger a person’s safety, or negatively affect performance;
• Unwanted physical contact such as touching, pinching, or kissing;
• Unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, requests, or invitations whether indirect of explicit;
• Physical or sexual assault.
• Hazing, initiations or orientations deemed inappropriate by GKHAT.

Sexual harassment is generally defined as behavior including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

• Submitting to or rejecting this conduct is used as the basis for making decisions which affect the individual; or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s performance; or
• Such conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

Harassment under this policy would also include retaliation against an individual:

• For filing a complaint under this policy; or
• For having participated in any procedure under this policy; or
• For having been associated with a person who filed a complaint or participated in any
• Procedure under this policy.

Coach/Athlete Sexual Relations
GKHAT takes the view that sexual relationships between coaches and athletes are unacceptable and may have harmful effects on the individual athlete involved, on other athletes and coaches, and on GKHAT’s public image. Should a sexual relationship develop between an athlete and a coach, GKHAT will take immediate action.

Complaint Procedures
Complaints shall be brought to the Alpine Chair of GKHAT for investigation/resolution, in accordance with the general guidelines contained in GKHAT Policy on Athlete Code of Conduct or in coaches’ contracts.

Disciplinary Action
Where an investigation results in a finding of harassment, disciplinary action will be taken which may include removal of privileges, suspension, or expulsion from GKHAT.

Confidentiality
GKHAT understands that it can be extremely difficult to come forward with a complaint of harassment. PGSC recognizes the interests of both the complainant and the respondent in keeping the matter confidential.
GKHAT shall not disclose to outside parties the name of the complainant, the circumstances giving rise to a complaint, or the name of the respondent unless a disciplinary or other remedial process or the law requires such disclosure.

Responsibility
The Alpine Chair and Past Chair are responsible for the implementation of this policy.
The Alpine Chair will act quickly on any complaint of harassment with the goal of resolving the situation fairly and of preventing future occurrences, including determining and enforcing appropriate discipline if required. Issues that cannot be resolved within the club may be referred to BC Alpine and/or Sport BC for formal investigation and resolution