Sexual Harrassment/Hazing/Bullying Policy
Policy adopted January 21, 2024 - included in player contract
C) Post 8 strictly prohibits any coach, staff member, volunteer, parent, or athlete from engaging in any form of sexual harassment that affects other employees, volunteers, parents or athletes.
a. Definition. Sexual harassment is unwanted and often persistent sexual attention and any other behavior with sexual overtones that creates a hostile work or training environment. Verbal harassment may be directed toward an individual or be comments about an individual that are intended to be or actually are overheard. Specifically, sexual harassment may include written or verbal abuse or threats with sexual overtones, physical contact, sexually graphic literature, sexual advances, demands for sexual favors, sexually oriented comments, jokes, lewd comments or sexual innuendoes, taunts about body, dress, marital status or sexuality, singling out members of one sex or those with a particular sexual orientation for ridicule or devaluing athletic performance or self-respect, sexual or homophobic graffiti, practical jokes based on sex, intimidating sexual remarks, invitations or familiarity, dismissing the contributions of members of one sex or sexual orientation in meetings or training sessions, or other condescending or patronizing behavior, physical contact such as fondling, pinching or kissing, sex-related vandalism, offensive phone calls or photos, and/or bullying on the basis of sex. Sexual harassment also includes all forms of sexual violence such as sexual assault, sexual battery, rape and sexual coercion, which will be referred to authorities as criminal matters.
b. Zero Tolerance. Sexual harassment by any individual involved in Post 8 activities shall not be tolerated. If observed, employees, parents, athletes, and volunteers shall immediately act to ask the person to stop such behavior and report such behavior to their respective supervisors, coaches, or the Post 8 Board president. Individuals engaging in sexual harassment shall be subject to immediate termination of employment or association with Post 8.
c. Confidentiality. All sexual harassment complaints remain confidential unless such confidentiality affects the ability of Post 8 to maintain a safe environment. No punitive or retaliatory action will be taken against anyone who submits a sexual harassment or other complaint.
D) Post 8 strictly prohibits and coach, staff member, volunteer, parent, or athletes from engaging in any form of hazing, initiation rituals, bullying, and physical punishment.
a. Definition. “Hazing” and inappropriate team initiation or bonding activities are defined as any actions, whether physical, verbal, mental, emotional or psychological, which subject another person, voluntarily or involuntarily, to any outcome that has the intended or unintended effect of abusing, mistreating, degrading, humiliating, harassing, or intimidating the person, or which may in any fashion compromise the inherent dignity of the person, for the purpose of association with, or induction to, a particular group or team or to control someone younger, weaker or with less power with the intent of harm. Such activities are strictly prohibited, whether initiated by athletes, coaches, staff members, volunteers, or parents. Post 8 is committed to the preservation of civil rights and a safe and non-threatening environment. Athletes should only be asked to engage in activities that are constructive, educational, inspirational, and contributory to intellectual and personal development.
b. Prohibited “Hazing” Behaviors. Following are examples of, but not limited to, prohibited actions and behaviors constituting hazing, initiation rituals or physical punishment. Forcing, requiring, or pressuring an individual to engage, endure or participate in any of the following activities:
· Consumption of alcohol or other drugs; Ingestion of any substance; Shaving any part of the body; Any activity that is illegal, perverse, publicly indecent or contrary to the individual’s genuine moral beliefs; Tamper with or damage property; Dietary restrictions of any kind unrelated to healthy nutrition; Deprivation of sleep and waking up/disturbing individuals during normal sleep hours; Creation of excessive fatigue unrelated to normal training expectations and activities; Calisthenics or any type of physically abusive exercise unrelated to normal training; Paddling, whipping, beating or physical abuse of any kind; Forced performance of public stunts or buffoonery; Forced tattooing or branding; Road trips, kidnapping, drop-offs, or any other such unplanned activities; Work projects without the participation of the full team membership as planned community service or club service activity; Assigned or endorsed pranks, such as borrowing or stealing items, painting property or objects, or harassing other individuals or groups; Subjecting a member to cruel and unusual psychological conditions; Wearing of apparel in public which is conspicuous, not normally in good taste, or designed to humiliate the individual(s) wearing it; Morally degrading or humiliating games or activities; Verbal or cruel harassment, including yelling and screaming; Line-ups, kangaroo courts or any interrogation not consistent with the legitimate testing for information about the purposes and history of the team; Sexual rituals, assaults and/or required nudity; Collective behavior such as marching that has no relationship to sport training or performance; Activities that promote or encourage the violation of state laws or Post 8 policies; Requiring new members to “greet” initiated members; Requiring the answering of phones or doors with songs, chants, or riddles; Requiring yelling or screaming upon entering or leaving a facility; Deception or threat contrived to convince the new member that he/she will not be permitted to join; Mentally abusive or demeaning behavior.
E) Post 8 strictly prohibits any coach, staff member, volunteer, parent, or athletes from engaging in any form of bullying.
a. Definition. Bullying occurs when there is an imbalance of power and the person who is older, larger, stronger, or more aggressive uses his or her power to control or harm someone in a weaker position. The person bullying has the intent or goal to cause harm (i.e., the act is not accidental) and the action is usually repetitious.
b. Types of Prohibited Bullying Behaviors. Bullying can take many forms. Examples include but are not limited to: name-calling, teasing, socially spreading rumors, purposely leaving people out of groups by telling them or others they are unwanted, breaking up friendships by threatening others or spreading rumors about a friend, or physically hitting, punching, or shoving a person. Using the Internet, email, texting, mobile phones, social media or other digital technologies to do harm to others is bullying and also prohibited.