Friends General Conference, in keeping with Friends’ historical concerns for equality and justice, is committed to providing environments for staff, volunteers, committee members, and program participants which are free of discrimination and harassment. Demeaning actions, words, jokes or comments based on an individual’s gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age or faith will not be tolerated. We also note that sexual harassment, both overt and subtle, is an illegal form of demeaning and oppressive misconduct which we want to prevent and which, if alleged, we will investigate thoroughly and fairly.
FGC Central Committee, October 1995
Friends General Conference wants the annual Gathering of Friends to be free of harassment. This policy addresses sexual harassment, racial harassment, and harassment based on sexual orientation.
Harassment is unwanted behavior generally involving the exercise of formal or informal power by one person over another. Often, the basis of the behavior is discrimination based in differences in sex, gender, race, or sexual orientation. The key words are “unwanted,” and “formal or informal power.” Both the feelings of the person who experiences the behavior and the intentions of the alleged perpetrator define harassment. One person may view a comment or behavior as innocent, while another may experience it as harassment, particularly if the actor continues the behavior after someone has brought its impact to their attention.
Does this mean that we must refrain from offering hugs to friends, or making comments about a friend’s appearance? No, but we should be sensitive to the possibility that someone might be uncomfortable by such behavior. If there is any question about how another may feel, ask first. For instance: “May I give you a hug?” or “Shall I keep my face mask on?”. This is simply part of our responsibility as members of a caring community of Friends.
A separate procedure is available for addressing instances of racial wounding. Find more information here or at the Information Desk.
What to do if you feel harassed, witness, or hear of harassment
1. If you feel harassed by another’s comments or behavior at the Gathering, and feel able, you may tell them directly. State clearly that you find their behavior objectionable and ask them to stop. If someone says they felt offended or embarrassed by your actions, please apologize. Also, be mindful not to repeat the objectionable behavior. Do not argue about their feelings or defend your behavior. You cannot tell someone else how they should feel about something you say or do.
2. FGC has established a small Harassment Investigation Committee (HIC). The HIC includes a broad representation of the population of FGC. If you feel unable to confront the person, or find that they repeat the objectionable behavior despite your request to stop it, you may approach this committee with your concern. You may request a meeting by leaving a note for “Harassment Investigation Committee” at the Gathering Information Desk. You may also request a meeting by speaking directly with a member of this committee (see list below).** Be sure to include when/how to contact you on any note. After, you may choose to pursue either an informal or a formal procedure for dealing with the situation.
3. If you witness or hear about a situation involving possible harassment, check in with the person experiencing the harassment. Should the person feel uncomfortable about the behavior, encourage them to confront it or report it. If it is impossible to talk with the person, or if the person does not feel prepared to make a report themself, yet you believe that harassment occurred, then you may make a report directly to HIC.
What FGC’s Harassment Investigation Committee will do in response to a reported incident of harassment
- Informal procedure: You may simply want to confidentially discuss the incident with a member of the Harassment Investigation Committee and seek help with how to handle it. If this discussion is sufficiently helpful, and you stop or avoid further objectionable behavior, the committee member will take no further action unless they determine that the nature of the objectionable conduct or behavior is serious enough to warrant further action, such as a formal procedure.
- Formal procedure: If you wish a more formal investigation and more assistance in dealing with the perceived harassment, the HIC will ask you to submit a written, signed statement of the occurrence(s). This report should include name(s), a description of the objectionable behavior, the context, and your feelings. When the HIC receives such a report, two members of the Harassment Investigation Committee will meet with you in confidence to discuss the perceived harassment with you, and then proceed with a thorough investigation of the matter. Such investigation always includes, if possible, a meeting of the investigators with the person or persons whose conduct is in question. The HIC will initiate the formal procedure in any case which it deems sufficiently serious. In this event, the HIC will notify all those involved, both those whose conduct is in question and those affected by it, of such a decision.
- The investigation members of the committee will reach a decision as to the merits and gravity of the matter and how to handle the situation. If the HIC team determines that the harassment actually occurred, possible consequences include:
- Requiring the harasser to participate in appropriate restorative or other processes designed to resolve conflict and restore community, as determined by the HIC team;
- Asking the harasser to acknowledge and stop the offending behavior;
- Requiring the harasser to stay away from the person who experienced the harassment for the duration of the Gathering,
- Requiring the harasser to leave the Gathering, and/or
- Refusing to accept the harasser at future Gatherings.
- The investigating team will communicate decision and action taken to the individual who submitted the formal report and to the full HIC. The harasser may appeal to the HIC prior to the registration period for a subsequent gathering about any decision to exclude a harasser from future Gatherings.
- The HIC will treat reports of objectionable behavior violating this policy, whether formal or informal, with confidentiality and discretion. The HIC Clerk will send a brief report of the Committee’s actions to the FGC General Secretary. The FGC General Secretary will keep this report on file.
- The HIC will make every effort to protect persons making bona fide reports from any kind of retaliatory action.
Managing serious conflicts not based on harassment
Less formal means are used to handle conflicts not involving harassment. Sometimes, a conflict within the Gathering might prove resistant to less formal methods. It may also have an explosive or particularly harmful nature, and/or require the kind of investigation used by HIC. Under those circumstances the Conference Director may refer the matter to HIC for further inquiry and resolution.
**Members of the Harassment Investigation Committee include the presiding clerk, the clerk of LRCP and others selected from the Gathering community. The Gathering packet given to attenders at check-in will name all individuals serving on the HIC.
This policy has not been reviewed by legal counsel. It was developed for FGC use, and was not intended as a model or template for other organizations.
Approved by the Long-Range Conference Planning Committee 03/05/23
Last edited June 15, 2026