Transcript Document

Gender Issues
Training
Are You Guilty of Sexual
Harassment or Offensive Talk?
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is described as :
• Unwelcome sexual advances
• Requests for sexual favors and other verbal
or physical conduct of a sexual nature when
such conduct has the purpose or effect of
unreasonably interfering with an individual’s
work performance
• Creating a hostile, intimidating, or offensive
working environment.
Example 1
At a Regionals tournament a young female referee from one
state was being hit on by a National Candidate referee from
another state. This was her first trip to Regionals and she did
not want to date him while she was there. The NC referee was
not taking “NO” for an answer.
She befriended one of the female referees in the Iowa
delegation and the two of them tried to deal with the problem
by themselves. Their attempts to get the Referee to leave her
alone were unsuccessful. The young female referee ended up
hiding in the Iowa delegations party room when she was not
with her own delegation.
The Iowa group ended up as her protectors for the 6 days of the
tournament. She remained with them so that the referee could
not take advantage of any situation that might present itself.
Hostile Environment
• Is an intimidating, hostile or offensive
environment on the field or in the classroom.
• This includes sexually based comments or
jokes, within earshot of anyone, which are
distasteful and or uncomfortable to work
around.
Example 2
During a pre-game situation at a girls High School match
the AD told the crew that there were dressing room
facilities for them to use if they wanted.
When the AD had left, one of the crew members looked at
the other two crew members, one of which was female,
and said that they should use the dressing rooms to strip
search the players to find the pierced jewelry that some
of the players wear.
The female referee did not like this comment, but didn’t
say anything to the referee that made it.
Harassing Behavior
Include but not limited to:
• Offensive or prying questions about a person’s private life
• Explicit propositions after the target has indicated a wish that
the propositions or comments cease
• Ridicule or insults which have a gender or sexual tone, content
or overture.
• Allusions to or threat of rape, or attempted, or actual sexual
assault.
• Offensive motions or gestures suggesting sexual acts.
Harassing Behavior (cont)
• Sexually explicit comments or obscene and or suggestive
remarks that the recipient deems objectionable or
uncomfortable
• Offers of benefits or advantages in exchange for sexual favors,
or threats of reprisals for negative responses to sexual
advances.
• Off color jokes typically constitute sexual harassment and are
the single most common factor contributing to a hostile
environment.
Verbal Harassment
The use of demeaning gender based term may include
but are not limited to:
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Honey
Sexy
Little Girl
Hunk
Toots
Broad
Sweetie
Darling
Babe
Any reference using body part terms
Physical Harassment
• Some people respond negatively to a hug or a pat.
• If you wouldn’t hug or pat a member of your own
gender, then don’t do it for a member of the opposite
gender.
• If you are not certain whether or not touching in any
particular way is acceptable…….Don’t touch.
• Handshakes are acceptable to everyone.
Example 3
With the referees who have been around for
years there are some that do a lot of
traveling. There are a lot of friendships made
with “out of state” referees, both male and
female.
When they see each other at the different
tournaments they will hug each other or give
them a kiss on the cheek or other friendly
gestures. This is acceptable behavior.
Example 4
At a tournament one of the female referees was
being asked constantly for a hug or a kiss. The male
referee would put his arm around the female referee
and try to pull her closer to him.
She complained to the tournament director of
referees about the situation.
The director talked with the referee about his
behavior. The male referee had to apologize to the
female referee and then was sent home from the
tournament for his actions.
Hazing Harassment
This type of harassment will crop up when men or
women enter an environment that is traditionally
dominated by the opposite gender.
Examples include:
• Incidents of crude or inappropriate behavior are
initiated because of a persons gender.
• Using gender based abusive and derogatory
language
Example 5
• At some of the upper level venues there will be situations
where you will be sharing locker rooms. Some people
have different ideas of modesty and need to make sure
that everyone is comfortable with how the changing room
situation is dealt with.
• At a PDL game, a female AR went with another AR to help
check the players uniforms and IDs. When the Male AR
announced that there would be a female assistant to help
him check the IDs and uniforms the response from the
locker room was that everyone was decent. When the two
ARs entered the locker room one of the players was
totally nude.
Fine Line Between Attraction and
Harassment
• Harassment has very little to do with sexual attraction.
Sexual harassment is about the misuse of power or the
abuse of working relationships.
• If you give a compliment on a person’s appearance and
they tell you that they have little or no interest in hearing
your comments… then stop.
• If you ask a person for a date and they say “NO”, then
drop the subject.
• Do not repeat unwelcome advances
• Do not retaliate against people who have rejected or
rebuffed your compliments or requests for a date.
Example 6
• At a tournament a female referee was being assessed by a state
level assessor. The assessor liked the performance of the
female referee and in the feedback session he told her that she
was “a good looking referee.” Her reaction to that comment
was not favorable even though the assessor meant the
comment as a compliment about her performance as the center
of the game.
• A lot of explaining had to be done in order for the female
referee to feel comfortable again. The underlying reason for the
female referees reaction was that she had been harassed by an
administrator in her home state when she requested
assessments. She was very sensitive to comments about her
looks.
Prevention of Sexual
Harassment
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Ask yourself, would you communicate with the opposite sex as equals
rather than inferiors or potential conquests?
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Do not refer to a person by a sexual pet name. Use their given name or
title such as the Center or AR.
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Listen when you are told “NO”. Do not continue to ask for a date or
continue to make crude, unwanted comments.
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Do not be overly sensitive to the “Guy or Gal Talk.” It is going to
happen when a group gets together. Make sure that if it bothers you,
say something to the individual or the group so that the discussion
changes.
•
Object to what is being said if it makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t
say anything to the person that makes you uncomfortable then
nothing will change.
Prevention (continued)
•
Treat people the way you would want your loved ones to be treated.
Would you want these types of things to happen to your wife,
daughter, mother or any other loved one in your family?
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Use proper etiquette when addressing the opposite gender or are in
mixed company. You don’t have to be talking to the person that you
have offended, they may have simply overheard what you said.
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Think before you speak.
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Identify the chronic offender so that the proper administrator can deal
with him/her.
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When you put on the referee uniform you represent the USSF, the
IHSAA, the IHSGAU, NISOA, your local association or the club that
your kids play for, don’t embarrass yourself or the uniform.
Summation
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As you progress in your career as an official you will be working with and on
occasion traveling with fellow referees. You are all special people and need
to treat everyone with the utmost respect and dignity. If someone mentions
that you have offended them you need to respect their position and take
responsibility for your actions and apologize.
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Jokes and stories are usually very cultural in nature, what some people
laugh at may offend another person in your group. You need to know that
history is full of offenses committed, unintentionally in most cases, against
races, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation.
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We do not all come from the same background and do not all have the
same sensitivities. Respect when someone tells you that you have crossed
the line and that it must stop.
Questions
1.
What is the key word regarding sexual harassment?
(A) Rude (B) Vulgar (C)
Unwanted
2.
If you feel you are in a hostile environment how should it be handled?
(A)
Report it to the administrators (B) Leave the area (C) Object to the behavioral tone.
3.
When entering a locker room of the opposite gender with a mixed crew, what
is the best procedure? (A) crew member of same gender enters first (B) Both Enter at the
same time (C) Have the team come out of the dressing room
4.
What physical contact is always appropriate with a mixed gender crew? (A)
Slap on the back (B) Handshake (C) Slap on the butt
5.
If someone makes a statement that makes you uncomfortable what is the
appropriate response? (A) grin and bear it (B) object to it (C) polite chuckle
6.
If someone objects to a personal statement what is the appropriate
response? (A) Do not continue or repeat those remarks (B) make fun of them for not seeing your
side (C) try to convince them they are wrong