Greater Grand Rapids Ski Club Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy

Greater Grand Rapids Ski Club (hereinafter referred to as GGRSC) is committed to an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to recreate in an atmosphere that promotes equal opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, GGRSC expects that all relationships among persons in the club will be respectful and free of bias, prejudice, discrimination, and harassment.

In order to keep this commitment, GGRSC maintains a strict policy of prohibiting unlawful harassment of any kind, including sexual harassment, and harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, sex, age, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local discrimination laws. This policy applies to all members, including leaders and board members, and nonmembers who engage in unlawful harassment during ski club activities.

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to making unwanted sexual advances and requests for sexual favors where either:

1. Submission to such conduct is made explicit or implicit term or condition of membership; or
2. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis of ski club decisions affecting such individual; or
3. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's involvement in club activities or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive recreation environment.

Members who violate this policy are subject to discipline up to and including the possibility of immediate termination of membership. Members must exercise their own good judgement to avoid any conduct that may be perceived by others as harassment.

The alleged harasser’s intent, or lack of intent to harass, is not the determining factor in deciding whether this policy has been violated.

Definitions

Harassment is defined as unwelcome conduct which is based on a protected category and has the purpose or effect of:

1. Creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive recreation environment.

2. Unreasonably interfering with a member’s enjoyment of ski club activities.

3. Otherwise negatively affecting a member’s enjoyment of ski club activities.

Verbal and non-verbal forms of harassment include, but are not limited to jokes, stereotypes, denigration, name calling, threats, visual displays, hazing, and segregation.

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

1. Submission to the conduct is made either an express or implied condition of involvement in the ski club.

2. Submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as a basis for any advantage in the ski club.

3. The harassment has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the member’s enjoyment of ski club activities or creating a hostile recreation environment.

Verbal and non-verbal forms of sexual harassment include but are not limited to:

1. Suggestive comments and innuendo

2. Unwanted physical contact or advances

3. Repeated requests or pressure for “dates”

4. Sexually suggestive messages of any kind via technology

5. Insults or verbal abuse of a sexual nature

6. Graphic verbal commentaries about an individual's body

7. Use of sexually degrading words or vulgar words of a sexual nature

8. Humor or jokes about sex or gender specific traits (Note: This refers to targeted jokes, repetitive ones creating an uncomfortable environment, or gross ones)

9. Display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures

10.Leering, whistling, or suggestive sounds

11. Obscene gestures

12.Displaying pornographic materials and lewd photographs in common areas or via computer

13.Prohibited touching with associated innuendos (includes unwelcome touching of a sexual nature or intentional brushing of the body)

14.Stalking an individual after a request to be left alone has been made at or soon after a ski club event.

Any member or other person who believes he or she has been harassed by a member of GGRSC or by a nonmember at a ski club event should promptly report the facts of the incident or incidents and the names of the individual(s) involved to a trip leader in charge at the time of the incident, Board member they are comfortable with, or in the alternative, to the Vice President. All complaints will then immediately be referred to the Vice President for investigation by members of the standing committee, an attorney if necessary, and/or referred to the police depending on the allegations made. Upon receipt of the complaint, the GGRSC will undertake a prompt, thorough, objective and good faith investigation of the harassment allegations and make a recommendation to the President for action.

If GGRSC determines that harassment has occurred via it’s chief officer, the President, effective remedial action will be taken in accordance with the circumstances involved. Any member determined by GGRSC to be responsible for harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action such as a documented verbal warning, up to and including termination of membership. The alleged harasser shall have the right to appeal the decision of the President to the entire Board by notifying the Vice President within 14 days of being informed by the President of the remedial action taken. The Vice President then shall inform the entire Board of the appeal and request that the decision be reviewed at a closed session of the Board.

Members will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint and/or assisting in a complaint or investigation process. Further, we will not tolerate or permit retaliation by any member against any complainant or anyone assisting in a harassment investigation.