Harassment and wrongdoing

In events organized by the Lovers’ Guild, we relate very openly to sexual expression and interaction. However, we do not tolerate sexual harassment, disrespectful behaviour or breaking anyone’s boundaries.

In our events, making polite sexual suggestions is not only allowed but desirable. You may talk about sex, you may express your own sexuality consciously and you may look at the bodies and sexual activity of others.

Still, everyone has the unchallenged right to having their boundaries respected when these boundaries have to do with the touching of their body or verbal approach. If one does not respect a verbal refusal, their actions are unequivocally harassment.

How to act in event of harassment

Sexual harassment causes huge damage to both its recipient and the community as a whole. The damage caused is hard to fix, but additional hurt can be avoided by interfering with harassment as quickly as possible.

Regardless of whether you are the recipient or a witness of the harassment, act in the following way:

• Immediately inform the harasser, directly and publicly. However, be polite. If you do not have the courage to point this out publicly, do it privately.
• Tell an organizer about what happened immediately.

If after the event you realize that you have not had the courage to or simply did not realize to inform an organizer about what happened, please contact them afterwards. You can find contact info from the event’s invitation.

Sometimes certain activity can look like harassment, but is not experienced as such by the recipients. It is always better to interfere in situations you are not sure about, just in case. Taking responsibility never hurts anyone.