Dublin 2019 aims to build a community for all fans, and Codes of Conduct (COC) help to make an inclusive community. With that in mind, please take a moment to review our Code of Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policy.
Codes of Conduct and Anti-Harassment Policies enable, guide, and encourage safe and secure relationships between convention Attendees. They help to make conventions a safer space by discouraging anti-social behaviour and helping everyone to feel comfortable.
This Code applies to all Dublin 2019 Attendees. Attendees includes Committee, Staff, Volunteers and Members, and all others trading, exhibiting and otherwise participating. We will also expect those working for the Convention Centre and all Dublin 2019 venues to act, and to be treated, in line with the principles of this Code of Conduct.
You will find references to our Listener Team throughout this Code of Conduct. The Listener Team is a group of people whose mandate is to receive reports on potential violations of the Code of Conduct. They can escalate issues appropriately, discuss them in a totally confidential manner, and/or act as mediators, according to the wishes of the person raising the issue.
This Code will expand slightly in the run up to Dublin 2019. More details will be added, particularly around identifying our Listener Team and general Volunteers and where to find them during the convention.
How can I help?
- Read and follow this Code of Conduct. Ask your friends to read it as well.
- Support others – if you see someone who looks like they need help, ask if they’re ok or engage a Volunteer.
- Ask first! The easiest way to avoid issues is to check before doing something, and it only takes a second.
- Remember that the Attendees of Dublin 2019 come from all over the world; cross-cultural misunderstanding can easily happen, so consider this in your humour and interactions, both online and in-person.
- Consider joining our Volunteer team by emailing us at volunteer@dublin2019.com or filling out this form.
Expectations and Policy
Everyone involved with Dublin 2019 is expected to show respect towards the convention Attendees, as well as venue staff, the general public, and the various communities associated with the convention. This is a family-friendly convention; children will be present at many events and in open spaces, so please consider this in your conduct.
Dublin 2019 is dedicated to providing a harassment-free convention experience for all Attendees, regardless of ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual identity or sexual orientation, neurodiversity, disability, physical ability or appearance, race, age, religion, or fiction/fandom preferences (this list is not exhaustive).
We do not tolerate harassment of convention Attendees in any form. Behaviour that will be considered harassment includes, but is not limited to:
- Intimidation, stalking, or following
- Unwelcome physical contact
- Unwelcome sexual attention
- Comments intended to belittle, offend, or cause discomfort
- Photographing or videoing members without their consent
- Treating cosplay/costumes as consent for contact or interaction
- Sustained disruption of talks or other events
- Sexually graphic or otherwise inappropriate images in public spaces
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviour
We require Attendees to follow this code in online interactions with the convention (including the Volunteer mailings, wiki, and other online facilities), at all convention venues and convention-related social activities. In addition, we are bound by Irish Equality Law, which can be viewed here.
Attendees who are asked to stop any harassing behavior must comply immediately.
Anti-racism Statement
Racism is on the rise across all sections of society: in sports and the media, in politics, and in our own fandom communities. Dublin 2019 is committed to being as close to oppression free as possible, and central to this is our policy on racism, including prejudice, bias, the expression of privilege, aggressions, and microaggressions. This includes contributions made in discussion sessions and also things said to and about other Dublin 2019 Attendees.
At Dublin 2019 we want to ensure no one is talked over, ignored, or dismissed, and we are committed to making Dublin 2019 as accessible as we can to people from all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Problems non-white Attendees of fandom events often reference include, but are not limited to:
- Having their lived experiences dismissed
- Being expected to be an authority on non-white characters in various fandoms
- Being talked down to or assumed to be less knowledgeable about topics being discussed
- People critiquing their cosplay costumes without being asked
- A presumption by some members of fandom that people of colour do not belong in fandom and that they should not be centered in storytelling
- The use of Social Justice Warrior or SJW as a pejorative term meant to demean or belittle the idea of diversity and inclusion in fandom and storytelling
- The use of social media to target people of colour and allies for harassment and abuse as an outgrowth of their participation in panels, discussions, or when commenting on their participation in fandom
- Being targeted in person or through social media with acts of aggression, harassment, or retribution for calling out harassers and abusive behavior
This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated at Dublin 2019.
(For full disclosure, this statement on racism was not written by a person of colour, but was edited and reviewed by several people of colour within the fandom community. However, if anyone with personal experience with racism would like to share suggestions for or criticisms of this Code of Conduct, please contact us at coc@dublin2019.com.)
Reporting
Before the convention: You can report harassment or other Code of Conduct violations by email to coc@dublin2019.com. This address will be continuously monitored by our Listener Team both prior to, and for the duration of, Dublin 2019.
At the convention: If someone has harassed you or breached this Code of Conduct in any way, or if you have witnessed or become aware that harassment or a Code of Conduct breach has taken place, please ask that person or persons to stop – as long as it is safe to do so and if you feel comfortable enough to make the request. To help us identify patterns of behaviour and possible repeat offenders, we would be grateful if you would also report the harassment as set out below.
If you do not want to speak to the person(s) directly, or if you engage with them and the harassment or Code of Conduct breach does not stop, please report the issue as soon as possible to a Volunteer Member or Listener Team Member. They can be identified at the convention by their Listener ribbons. There will be a staffed Listener Desk near the Info Desk at the convention and you can also ask any member of Dublin 2019 staff to call a Listener. Alternatively, you can report by email to coc@dublin2019.com. This address will be continuously monitored by our Listener Team before, during, and after Dublin 2019.
Harassment and other Code of Conduct violations reduce the value of Dublin 2019 for everyone – we want you to be happy at our convention, so please do speak to us if needed.
What will happen if you make a report?
When taking an in-person report, our Listener Team will first ensure that you are safe and cannot be overheard. They may involve other event staff to ensure your report is managed properly. Once you are safe, we’ll ask you to tell us about what happened, and what you would like to happen next. We understand this can be upsetting, but we’ll handle it as respectfully as possible and try to support you.You can also bring another person to support you if you wish.
If you submit a report by email, our Listener Team will respond to you as quickly as possible, and proceed at their discretion, based on the content, context and wishes expressed in your email.
However you choose to report an issue, you won’t be asked to confront anyone, and we will do our best to protect your identity if we take action as a result of your report. Details of your complaint will only be disclosed to the team or Committee members who are dealing with it. We will keep you advised of the progress we’re making in handling the issue, and of any action we decide to take. We will take into account your views when deciding on that action. However, please be aware that, if you report a serious criminal matter, or we believe that you or someone else may be in danger, we may need to contact the police. We would take into account any concerns you may have around involving them.
The Dublin 2019 Team has the right to take any actions needed to keep our event a welcoming environment for all Attendees. Measures taken may include warning the offender, mediating solutions between parties, or taking any other action the team considers necessary, up to and including expulsion from the convention with no refund, at our discretion.
If you wish to take further steps following your report and our response, our team will be happy to help you contact hotel/venue security, local law enforcement, local support services, or otherwise assist you to feel safe for the run-up to and duration of the event. Above all, we want you to feel valued, safe and included at our convention!
(Credit where it’s due: this Code of Conduct is loosely based on Geek Feminism’s example anti-harassment policy, created by volunteers.)
Other important information: