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The main reason why I posted this piece is to help send a VERY clear message that we do not condone Sexual Harassment, at any level. Along with that this also allows us to have Court cases should we wish, while also having administrative action.

However it's enforcement is an interesting question.

I think the message has been made more than clear already, Chanku.  As I told you in our discussions, while it's appreciated, we also have to consider the feelings of the victims in this matter.  Going in guns blazing right after Wintermoot made it very clear that Wintreath takes it very seriously is going about it the wrong way.

This needs to be done logically, and with the well-being of others involved in such matters in mind.

That's why I insisted that we let his topic disappear, so that the victims don't have to keep seeing it being thrown all over the forums.  Because while that may say that we take it very seriously, it also says "Hey, we're going to keep talking about something that just happened to you that probably made you uncomfortable.  We're sorry, but we're just going to keep talking about it."

True, however I am not really going into this Guns Blazing...this is something that should be added, the enforcement however is something that should be considered.

I agree that there should be procedure for the future.

I'm just saying that the message has already been made.  It doesn't need to be broadcast anymore. 

What are the laws regarding sexual harassment where the Wintreath site is hosted (is it the US)? If there are clear laws on the topic, would Article VI, Section 4 of the Fundamental Laws give Wintermoot the right to immediately ban violators of those laws?

I don't know. I'm actually happy with the way something regarding IRC was handled for once. Sure, it made North uncomfortable given his understandably bitter relationship with his previous region, but in the end, I think it was perfectly handled because it prioritised the victims' right to anonymity.

I don't know. I'm actually happy with the way something regarding IRC was handled for once. Sure, it made North uncomfortable given his understandably bitter relationship with his previous region, but in the end, I think it was perfectly handled because it prioritised the victims' right to anonymity.

Really, I don't see any other way of handling it.  Had it been on the forums, that would have been absolutely traumatic.  I can't even begin to think how that'd be properly handled outside of editing/deleting posts and banning the person.

Taulover's question is a valid one, though.

I can look it up, hold on.

What are the laws regarding sexual harassment where the Wintreath site is hosted (is it the US)? If there are clear laws on the topic, would Article VI, Section 4 of the Fundamental Laws give Wintermoot the right to immediately ban violators of those laws?

Wintreath presumably is based in the United States, yes, because Wintermoot lives in West Virginia and the Simple Machines board format operates out of Nevada. U.S. law on the topic says it is illegal in the workplace, but that is apparently all that is available. This resource doesn't highlight specific federal statutes, but is on a government-operated website:

Sexual Harassment

It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

Yeah, I looked it up and they have no implicit ruling on it on the SM website, but I'd assume they go by what Barnes posted, since they're a US based company.

We should quietly research this some more.

Keep in mind we only use the SMF software...they don't actually do the forum hosting...IIRC HostGator does

Keep in mind we only use the SMF software...they don't actually do the forum hosting...IIRC HostGator does

If that's so, then it's still US-based, because HostGator's presence is in Texas.

Oh look, they have a live chat.  Scuse me...

Eh, nevermind.  They take too long, and I'd be better researching it a more precise way.

Going to be really blunt here; this is not something fit for the region to legislate.

This is solely an administrative matter.

Attempting to treat it as anything else is fucking retarded.


I'm speaking from experience; I've run online communities for the better part of the last decade and ultimately, shit like this requires administrative discretion which is something you can't legislate.

Let this lie and move on. It'll do the community good.