CONSENT
Our community takes consent VERY seriously. All interactions between attendees (sexual, or non-sexual) are to be based on communication, consent, and respect. If you haven’t explicitly asked for consent before any type of physical contact/interaction, please do so as this is non-negotiable. Only an ongoing positive, enthusiastic response means Yes! If you’re unsure about an interaction or feel that the tone has changed, check in with the other party.
If someone is being non-consensual or you are feeling uncomfortable with an interaction and require support, please contact one of the organizers at the event or talk to someone you trust who can speak to us for you.
If someone confronts you about your own behaviour, please thank them for stating their boundaries and seek support from an organizer if you want to resolve a misunderstanding.
Consent education is not just to teach people to recognize and challenge non-consensual behaviour, but also to empower folks to learn how to consider if they’re a “yes”, a “maybe” or a “no” to any given interaction as well as to use their voice as they give consent, negotiate boundaries or retract consent. It also teaches us how to address individuals who either require more consent education or illustrate a lack of concern about consent.
Opening circles at our multi-day events will include an introduction to Intention organizers and consent specialists.
If you need to talk to an organizer about a consent issue, please email consent[at]intentiongathering[dot]org
If you have experienced concerning behaviour you would like consent pod to be aware of, feel free to fill in this form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/119W0z3F_tjhO6IlGSwofaFnkl052nBBWTqlV_M17XYM/
All communications are handled with the utmost confidentiality. Our approach is shaped by the wishes of the individual bringing the information forward. For instance, if someone prefers that the Consent Pod does not address a concern directly with the individual involved, we will simply make a note in case a pattern of behaviour emerges.
We take an intersectional approach, and we don’t act based on rumour. We believe that people sometimes make mistakes that they can learn from, and if they are open to changing their behaviour, we will help as much as we can. However, if we determine that someone’s attendance at our events poses a risk to our community members (usually if we know of multiple complaints or incidents), we will ask them not to attend until they can demonstrate that they have done the work necessary to reassure us that their behaviour has changed.
Outside support services
If you have any suggestions for services that should be included on this list, please contact us at consent[at]intentiongathering[dot]org .