Code of Conduct

Cascadia PHP is 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, age or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any conference venue, including talks. Conference participants 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 comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, and/or 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 behavior.

 

Enforcement

This policy applies to all conference participants throughout the entire University Place grounds. This policy applies to pre and post-conference time spent with other participants such as, but not limited to: hotel rooms, bathrooms, common areas (lobby, food court, other), swimming pool and other outdoor areas. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. Exhibitors in the expo hall, sponsor or vendor booths, or similar activities are also subject to the anti-harassment policy. In particular, exhibitors should not use sexualized images, activities, or other material. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not use sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers 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 and event-related social activities. We think people should follow these rules outside event activities too!

 

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 t-shirts/special badges. 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 using this google form.
We can't follow up an anonymous report with you directly, but we will fully investigate it and take whatever action is necessary to prevent a recurrence.

 

Personal Report

You can make a personal report by calling this phone number: [Phone] This phone number will be continuously monitored for the duration of the event.

Contacting a staff member, identified by STAFF badges, buttons, or shirts. 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.

 

Disclaimer

While the entire Cascadia PHP staff of event organizers and volunteers will make every effort to ensure a safe and fun conference experience for everyone in attendance, we claim no responsibility for any harassment or inappropriate behavior that we are not made aware of during the conference. Furthermore, any participant who feels that their physical safety is being threatened should go directly to the proper authorities immediately, even before alerting Cascadia PHP staff persons.

 

Policy License

This policy is licensed under the Creative Commons Zero license. This anti-harassment policy is based on the example policy from the Geek Feminism wiki, created by the Ada Initiative and other volunteers. This policy is based on several other policies, including the Ohio LinuxFest anti-harassment policy, written by Moose Finklestein and Beth Lynn Eicher, and the Con Anti-Harassment Project. Mary Gardiner, Valerie Aurora, Sarah Smith, and Donna Benjamin generalized the policies and added supporting material. Many members of LinuxChix, Geek Feminism and other groups contributed to this work.