Contact
bbxsafespace@gmail.com
Beatbox Safe Space Code of Conduct
The things outlined in this document protect not only members of our team, but are there to help members of the general community to understand how we handle harassment reports that are brought to our attention. This Code of Conduct will expand and change with the growth of our organization to reduce confusion and improve effectiveness.
Anti-Harassment Policy
It is the policy of Beatbox Safe Space to maintain an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Each individual has the right to work in a professional atmosphere which prohibits discriminatory practices, including sexual harassment and harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, handicap, disability, or any other category protected by US law. Harassment, whether verbal, digital, physical, or environmental, is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by Beatbox Safe Space.
The purposes of this policy against harassment are to educate all of our community members about what we consider harassment and to make clear our procedure in response to reports. We encourage anyone who feels they have been subjected to harassment to report such conduct to representatives of Beatbox Safe Space, who will investigate and respond in a timely manner.
Definition of Harassment
Harassment is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion towards an individual because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, handicap or disability, or that of persons with whom the individual associates. For example, racial harassment includes harassment based on physical or cultural characteristics associated with race. Religious harassment may include demands that a Beatbox Safe Space member alter or renounce some religious belief/practice in exchange for job/programming benefits; and sexual harassment is defined more specifically below.
The Beatbox Safe Space’s policy is to prohibit behavior based on a person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, handicap or disability that:
(1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment;
(2) has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance;
or (3) otherwise adversely affects an individual’s opportunities.
It is the Beatbox Safe Space’s policy that such behavior is inappropriate and intolerable regardless of whether any single instance of improper behavior described rises to the level of harassment prohibited by law.
Examples of behavior that violate this policy and may constitute harassing conduct include, but are not limited to:
- Epithets, slurs, quips, or negative stereotyping ~
- Threatening, intimidating or hostile acts ~
- Written or graphic posts/DMs/circulation ~
- “Jokes,” “pranks,” “trolling,” or other forms of “humor” ~
~that are demeaning or hostile with regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, sexual orientation, age, handicap or disability.
Definition of Sexual Harassment
As defined by the courts and by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (in the US- similar writings exist within the EU), sexual harassment includes unwelcome or unwanted sex based conduct: (1) when a staff member’s submission to or rejection of this conduct affects decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion or any other aspect of employment; or (2) when such conduct substantially interferes with an individual’s work or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
Beatbox Safe Space prohibits any inappropriate or offensive behavior including, but not limited to:
- Coerced sexual acts;
- Express or implied demands for transactional sexual favors
- Touching or assaulting an individual’s body or staring in a sexual manner;
- Graphic, verbal commentary about an individual’s body or sexuality;
- Unwelcome flirtations, advances, or propositions, including digitally;
- The public display/circulation of graphic and sexually suggestive objects, pictures or graffiti, (including profile pictures);
- Negative statements or disparaging remarks targeted at one gender, even if the content of the verbal abuse is not sexual in nature; or
- Any form of retaliation against a Beatbox Safe Space (or community) member for complaining about the type of behavior described above or supporting the complaint of an alleged victim.
The type of behavior described above is unacceptable by all individuals (staff, students & collaborators) representing the Beatbox Safe Space, not only within Beatbox Safe Space Core Team and workshops, but also in other settings such as during online and in-person beatboxing events.
Individuals Covered by the Harassment Policy:
This policy covers all Beatbox Safe Space representing individuals, i.e. community members/participants/staff/students/audience/etc, as well as members of the general beatbox scene to help with proper steps for accountability within the beatbox community at large. All members of our community deserve to experience a respectful environment free from harassment and bullying. Beatbox Safe Space encourages the reporting of all incidents of harassment, regardless of who the offender may be.
Reporting & Investigating a Complaint
Beatbox Safe Space will uphold the following process:
Concerns will be handled in a timely, fair, and impartial manner, with a commitment to our shared values. Beatbox Safe Space will treat all aspects of the process confidentially, to the extent it is reasonably possible. When any Beatbox Safe Space member feels uncomfortable or that the boundaries of professionalism have been crossed by a teammate, our policy is to discuss the issue directly with one another. You are entitled to get a third person as a mediator from the team.
Beatbox Safe Space members should submit complaints as soon as possible after an incident has occurred. It is strongly preferred that complaints are submitted in writing; however, a verbal complaint can be shared in the event a staff member does not feel comfortable/is unable to put a complaint in writing.
Beatbox Safe Space community members can report a concern or file a complaint with the following individuals:
- Our email: bbxsafespace@gmail.com
- Rabea – @rabea.rebecca (Instagram) – E-Mail added soon
- Rose – @ngetal_rose (Instagram) – E-Mail added soon
Beatbox Safe Space has established the following process for formally reviewing and investigating concerns / complaints. The organization will treat all aspects of the process confidentially, to the extent it is reasonably possible.
• Preliminary Review – Upon receipt of a complaint, the Beatbox Safe Space leadership will conduct a thorough review of Beatbox Safe Space policies to determine if the stated complaint implicates a violation of a policy as outlined in this Code of Conduct. The Beatbox Safe Space leadership will notify the complainant(s) and the individual(s) complained about in writing of the complaint as well as next steps (unless there is personal risk for the complainant).
If after reviewing the concern/complaint, the Beatbox Safe Space Leadership determines that:
▪ If a Beatbox Safe Space policy violation has not occurred, the Beatbox Safe Space leadership will inform the claimant(s) and the respondent(s), and will include the rationale for why the claim was not investigated.
▪ If a Beatbox Safe Space policy violation may have occurred, the following steps will be considered on a case-by-case basis:
Investigation ~ During an investigation, the individual(s) conducting the investigation will interview the complainant, the respondent, and any witnesses/potential witnesses, including those named by the complainant and/or the respondent. During the course of the investigation, respondents named in the concern/complaint may be precluded from any and all Beatbox Safe Space programming until the investigation is resolved.
Upon conclusion of an investigation, the individual conducting the investigation will document a written report of their findings for the Beatbox Safe Space HR Records. Beatbox Safe Space recognizes that false accusations of wrongdoing can cause serious harm to innocent persons. If an investigation results in a finding that the complainant knowingly, falsely accused another person of wrongdoing, the complainant will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including exclusion from current and future programming of Beatbox Safe Space and its partners without refund.
▪ If a Beatbox Safe Space policy violation has occurred, the individual(s) who conducted the investigation will make a recommendation around appropriate disciplinary actions for the respondent, in consultation with the Beatbox Safe Space Leadership team. The appropriate disciplinary action will depend on: (1) the severity, frequency and pervasiveness of the conduct; (2) prior substantiated complaints against the respondent and their disciplinary history; and (3) the quality of the evidence (e.g., firsthand knowledge, credible corroboration).
▪ If the findings are inconclusive or no violation of a Beatbox Safe Space policy occurred but potentially problematic conduct may have occurred, the Beatbox Safe Space HR representative may recommend appropriate disciplinary or preventative actions to help prevent future concerns/complaints.
If disciplinary action is to be taken, the respondent will be informed, in writing, of the nature of the discipline and how it will be executed. All written disciplinary actions will be kept in the Beatbox Safe Space HR Records in perpetuity.