ANTI-HARASSMENT POLICY
PN Marist Football Club is committed to providing football in a fun, safe and respectful environment for all participants. People are expected to show respect and courtesy in their interactions with others. Children and vulnerable adults in particular must be cared for, treated with respect and their welfare placed at the centre of everything we do in football.
PN Marist Football Club recognises that those involved in its activities cannot enjoy themselves or perform to the best of their abilities if they are being bullied and/or harassed. It is aware bullying and harassment affects the health, safety and wellbeing of people.
PN Marist Football Club will not tolerate bullying and harassment (sexual, racial or otherwise) of those involved in its activities.
This policy applies to all PN Marist Football Club employees, contractors, supporters, club members, volunteers or family members of players. Anyone involved in the activity/sport can raise a concern about bullying and/or harassment towards them or another person. We encourage people to speak up for themselves and for other people.
What is bullying?
Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a person or a group of people that can have a significant impact on them. It may create a risk to their physical and/or mental health and safety. The person or people acting in this way may not intend to cause harm or may not see their behaviour as bullying. The focus should be on stopping behaviour that is unreasonable and makes people feel bullied.
Repeated behaviour can involve a range of actions over time. Some of those actions might be small and by themselves might not seem serious. Taken together over time, however, they can add up and undermine a person’s self-confidence or make them feel unsafe. A single incident of unreasonable behaviour is not considered bullying, but it could escalate and should not be ignored.
Unreasonable behaviour means actions or behaviour that is not justified in the circumstances.
The following are examples of some of the behaviours that may be bullying:
Sexual harassment and racial harassment are defined in the Human Rights Act 1993 (and Employment Relations Act 2000). They are unlawful ways of treating other people. We will take any allegations of harassment seriously as it has no place in football.
Behaviour that does not reach the legal standard of sexual harassment or racial harassment may still be inappropriate, unprofessional and hurtful and will be addressed.
PN Marist Football Club is committed to ensuring everyone is safe and treated respectfully.
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment means any form of sexual attention or behaviour that is unwanted and offensive to a person, whether it is a serious one-off incident or less serious behaviour that is repeated. The person who finds sexual behaviour offensive does not have any obligation to tell the person behaving this way that it is offensive or to stop. If someone does say they are finding behaviour unwelcome and offensive, that is a clear sign to stop and make sure it does not happen again.
Sexual harassment can involve a person in a position of authority (a coach, referee or manager) asking a person for sexual activity, with a promise or threat (direct or implied) attached. The promise might be of selection or promotion, money, gifts or a benefit of some sort, in return for sexual activity. A threat might be about missing out on an opportunity, e.g. selection for a team, for the person or someone they know, if the sexual activity is refused.
Other sexual harassment can be using words, language, pictures or physical behaviour that is sexual, unwanted and offensive to the person receiving it. It might be sending someone sexual pictures or recordings, having nude posters or screensavers or videos visible, making sexual jokes or comments, persistently asking someone out when they make it clear they are not interested, intrusive questions about sex, touching or sexual assault.
Someone who is experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour can find it embarrassing and intimidating, as well as annoying or confusing. They might find it difficult to ask the person to stop or tell them it is offensive. People sometimes will laugh at jokes or smile and say they don’t mind, even though the behaviour is unwanted and offensive. These reactions do not mean the behaviour is okay. It will be sexual harassment if the person experiencing it finds it unwelcome and offensive, even if they say nothing at the time.
Mutually agreed sexual behaviour between consenting adults is not unlawful and will not breach this policy. However, requests for sexual activity or relationships can be unprofessional or exploitative, especially if there is a power or age imbalance or a reporting line.
Racial Harassment
Racial harassment occurs when a person is subjected, for reasons of race, colour, nationality or ethnic origin to behaviour that might reasonably be perceived by the receiver to be offensive or unwelcome. Racial harassment can include any of the following:
Racist comments, jokes, stereotypes or insults, or abuse because someone is from another culture or religion are never acceptable. People might be feeling uncomfortable or unsafe, even if some people laugh or feel they can’t call the behaviour out. It is up to everyone in football to take personal responsibility for stopping this behaviour by calling it out if they see it and taking it on board. It is not the responsibility of people who feel they are being racially abused to correct the behaviour, but they can call it out if they feel safe and comfortable.
What isn’t bullying or harassment?
Occasional differences of opinion, conflicts and problems in relationships do not necessarily represent bullying or harassment. Fair management, coaching, managing under-performance, or other legitimate actions in line with PN Marist Football Club policies and procedures are not harassment or bullying.
These are some examples of behaviours that are usually not seen as harassment or bullying:
If behaviour is not repeated or unreasonable it might not be bullying, but if it causes a person in the activity distress, there is still a problem to be discussed in a calm way to stop it becoming a more serious problem.
Any person who feels they or someone else is being bullied or harassed can:
People are always encouraged to raise concerns directly with the person who has behaved in a way causing concern but only if that feels safe and likely to be helpful. Both parties involved should have a chance to be heard respectfully and feel safe to be able to say what they want to say, through both informal and formal processes.
If direct resolution isn’t appropriate or successful, the issue should be raised with the club committee, which, in consultation with the people involved, will put in place a culturally appropriate process to try to resolve it. This may include holding a facilitated meeting and following a process that meets the needs of the people involved.
It is important any person involved in an informal resolution process is supported to feel safe in the process. Anyone involved can have a support person throughout the process. If anyone changes their mind about being involved in the process, that must be respected.
People who want to make a formal complaint about the behaviour they are experiencing, or they see happening to anyone else should raise this to Club Administrator in line with the provisions of the Complaints Policy.
Club Administrator who receives a complaint or becomes aware of a serious issue of bullying or harassment needs to take steps to support the people involved, ensure everyone is safe and make sure the issue is addressed by the appropriate person or committee.
This policy should be read in conjunction with PN Marist Football Club Child Protection Policy, which outlines the proactive measures PN Marist Football Club will take to protect children and vulnerable adults and the process it will follow in the event of concerns being raised.
Admin Login