February 15, 2023

Anti-Harassment Policy

MaricopaCon is committed to providing a safe environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Harassment or unwelcome conduct, whether verbal, physical, visual, or in any other form, is strictly prohibited. MaricopaCon’s anti-harassment policy applies to all persons involved in the operation or attendance of the convention or MaricopaCon-sponsored event. MaricopaCon will not tolerate harassment of anyone by anyone, including participants, vendors, hosts, or MaricopaCon staff.

MaricopaCon defines harassment as any behavior that threatens a person or group or produces an unsafe and non-inclusive environment. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, offensive verbal comments or non-verbal expressions related to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, age, or religious beliefs.

Furthermore, harassment includes, but is not limited to, sexual or discriminatory images in public and quasi-public spaces (online and offline), intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Harassment may take the form of comments, epithets, slurs, discriminatory or insensitive jokes, teasing, display or discussion of written or graphic material, repeatedly standing too close to or brushing up against a person, or giving gifts of an unwanted or sexual nature. Advocating or encouraging any of the above is also considered harassment.

Harassment at MaricopaCon does not include respectful disagreement or critique offered in good faith. MaricopaCon reserves the right to alter or broaden its definition of harassment at its sole discretion.

No one should tolerate any conduct of this type. Should you experience or witness harassment, you may choose to take any of the following actions:

1. If you feel safe and comfortable doing so, ask the offender to stop. Whether the offending behavior is intentional or unintentional, expressing your discomfort to the offender directly may put a stop to that conduct.
2. Leave the area. While this may seem unfair, it is sometimes best for your safety and well-being if you leave the area, especially if you feel uncomfortable around the offender or their conduct. After separating yourself from the conduct, you may wish to take additional actions.
3. If you are comfortable doing so, ask a MaricopaCon Staff, Volunteer, venue staff, or on-site security for help. You can find MaricopaCon Volunteers and Staff (wearing yellow aprons) at Registration, the Game Library, or roaming the venue.
4. Report the incident formally to MaricopaCon, on-site or online. You may go to the Game Library to file an incident report in person. This can also be done anytime during or after the show by emailing info@maricopacon.com.
5. Contact the police or other appropriate authorities. Your health and safety are our most important concern. If you require immediate assistance from law enforcement, medical services, or other governmental entities, please do not hesitate to contact such services directly.

Based on any informal or formal complaint or report of harassment, MaricopaCon may take the following steps. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and other appropriate action may be taken as necessary.

1. Read and investigate all reports. MaricopaCon documents and reviews all reports. Reporting parties may be contacted for further clarifying information, unless they have submitted a report anonymously or asked to not be contacted further. Note that MaricopaCon will not share the results of these reports with anyone, including the person who filed the report, unless required by law.
2. Intercede if and when appropriate. MaricopaCon staff may take immediate action to address harassment concerns, including but not limited to, escorting participants to a location in which they feel safe, refunding tickets, cancelling events, moving event locations, requesting participants leave a specific area, removing offenders from the event, or banning offenders from the show. Bans and removals may be on a temporary basis, for the duration of the show, or permanent.
3. Contact police and medical authorities when appropriate. If, upon review, MaricopaCon finds that relevant local government officials should be notified, MaricopaCon may contact such entities and/or share confidential information as required by law.
4. Sanction participants based on our investigations. MaricopaCon participants found to have violated the Code of Conduct may be subject to sanctions, including but not limited to:
• Verbal or written warning
• Requiring the participant to avoid any interaction with, and physical proximity to the party or parties involved
• Temporary suspension from any MaricopaCon sponsored events or online services
• Permanent ban from any MaricopaCon sponsored events or online services
• Immediate expulsion from the convention without refund
• Reporting of the incident to the appropriate authorities

MaricopaCon's Code of Conduct applies in all physical and online spaces within MaricopaCon's control. This includes, but is not limited to, event venues, Pop-Up MaricopaCon locations, MaricopaCon social media pages, streamed programming, and MaricopaCon forums. Occasionally MaricopaCon is made aware of behavior by participants (or potential participants) that has occurred outside of MaricopaCon — either online or offline — and is a gross violation of our Code of Conduct. These actions need not occur in MaricopaCon-affiliated spaces to be considered for sanctions by MaricopaCon. These include, but are not limited to:

• Individuals who have not attended MaricopaCon but have a history of abusive behavior and/or known incidents that took place outside MaricopaCon that may cause risks to a participant’s safety, or which may contribute to a hostile or non-inclusive environment at the convention
• MaricopaCon participants who have been reported for outside incidents, including, but not limited to, conduct at other conventions, threatening or abusive behavior online, or assault

We understand that, at times, participants will have disagreements or interpersonal conflicts that do not necessarily escalate to the point of harassment or abuse. MaricopaCon will not arbitrate such disagreements—we ask that you please leave these conflicts at home.

MaricopaCon continuously strives to create a safe and welcoming space. Should you have any suggestions for how we can improve, please email us at info@maricopacon.com.