OMG BookFest is dedicated to providing a safe and harassment-free environment for all of its members and has a zero-tolerance policy regarding harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. This includes all harassment, intimidation, and discrimination made on the basis of race, age, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, religion, class, body size, veteran status, marital/domestic partnership status, citizenship, or any other marginalized identity. Harassment includes verbal comments, written comments, displayed images, or behaviors such as deliberate intimidation, stalking, body policing, unwelcome photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

The OMG BookFest Code of Conduct applies to all situations of harassment, intimidation, or discrimination at OMG BookFest programs and activities and is applicable to all OMG BookFest events and all OMG BookFest venues, including but not limited to OMG BookFest events, meetings, dinners, and online interactions. Harassment, intimidation, and discrimination at any OMG BookFest event, any one of the foregoing events, or online is prohibited.

Code of Conduct

All participants in OMG BookFest events and activities, including authors, volunteers, and attendees, are required to comply with the following anti-harassment code of conduct. The OMG BookFest Code of Conduct prohibits harassment, including but not limited to the following behaviors:

  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following

  • Sustained disruption of talks or other events

  • Inappropriate physical contact

  • Unwelcome sexual attention

  • Abusive verbal comments

  • Quid pro quo – sexual harassment that occurs when one in an authority position requests sex or a sexual relationship in exchange for professional consideration or favors

Harassment does not include respectful disagreement or reasonable and respectful critique made in good faith. OMG BookFest continues to welcome and appreciate presentation of controversial ideas, free speech, and creative artistic expression. OMG BookFest encourages members to hold one another accountable to the Code of Conduct and to take the perspectives of others seriously when a disagreement arises.

Reporting Procedures

Any person who believes there has been a violation of the OMG BookFest Code of Conduct can report the offense in one or all of the following ways:

  • All OMG BookFest events will designate two Board Members who will be available during the conference to provide a safe space for anyone to report an incident. The Board Members will report directly to the entire Board.

  • A complainant may request assistance from any OMG BookFest Board Member.

  • OMG BookFest has a dedicated email address for reporting any incident of harassment. Anyone who chooses to report an incident can email policy@omgbookfest.org. Reports can be submitted anonymously or with identifying information. Reports should include the substance of the complaint, date, and whenever possible, a list of witnesses or a reference to the relevant URLs, if the offense occurred online. Emails will be monitored at all times, including during OMG BookFest events. OMG BookFest will fully investigate all complaints, including those made anonymously, and take whatever action is necessary and appropriate to prevent a recurrence. Please note, however, that OMG BookFest will not be able to follow up on an anonymous report with the complainant directly, as OMG BookFest will not have contact information for the anonymous complainant. OMG BookFest will make every attempt to respond to a named complainant in a timely fashion.

Non-Retaliation

The OMG BookFest Anti-Harassment Policy prohibits retaliation against a member of the OMG BookFest community for reporting harassment, intimidation or discrimination, or for participating in an investigation relating to any complaint made. The sanctions for retaliation are the same sanctions available to address any other violation of the OMG BookFest Code of Conduct.

Sanctions

OMG BookFest takes all allegations of harassment seriously. Every report will be investigated fully by the Board, who will determine, the appropriate sanction.

Sanctions may include any of the following:

  • warning the party involved that the particular behavior is inappropriate and must be ceased;

  • immediate removal from the event;

  • denial of access to OMG BookFest spaces and venues on a temporary or permanent basis;

  • prohibition from future attendance;

  • expulsion from OMG BookFest;

  • removal from the Board of Directors, when appropriate.

Confidentiality

OMG BookFest will make every reasonable effort to conduct all investigations into allegations of harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of all parties. Notwithstanding the above, confidentiality is not absolute, and those with a legitimate business reason to know and be informed of the allegations will be so informed. Parties to the complaint should treat the matter under investigation with discretion and respect the reputation of all parties involved.

*OMG BookFest acknowledges the contributions of SCBWI, Geek Feminism, Science Fiction Writers of America, and WisCon for their work in developing anti-harassment policies.

If you have questions regarding this policy, you may send an email to policy@omgbookfest.org. Please include the words “anti-harassment policy” in the subject line.