Doing More to Foster Safety, Prevent Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault

With recent reports of  sexual harassment and sexual assault in the broader outdoor community, we’re reminded of how much work there is to be done to reverse this troubling reality. This news has been particularly painful for the many people who have been the targets of sexual harassment and sexual assault. As a global outdoor recreation community, we can and must do better. The Mountaineers is deeply committed to keeping our community safe, both physically and emotionally. We are redoubling our efforts to protect members from sexual harassment and sexual assault. 

THE MOUNTAINEERS BEHAVIOR POLICIES

The Mountaineers does not tolerate any conduct that constitutes sexual harassment or assault by any member, volunteer, participant, or staff member. In support of this commitment, for many years we've had policies in place to set clear expectations about how we should treat one another in Mountaineers activities, what behavior is prohibited, and how to handle situations when prohibited behavior is alleged to have occurred. These organization-wide policies are approved by the board of directors and include the: 

• Member Code of Ethics
• Prohibited Behavior Policy
• Prohibited Behavior Investigation Policy

The current version of these policies were developed and rolled out to the organization in 2018. Since then, these policies have guided our community in handling situations where prohibited behavior has occurred. We take behavior complaints seriously and are committed to being empathetic, transparent, and fair to everyone involved. If you believe you've been the target of prohibited behavior, we want to hear from you. Please use our online form to make a behavior complaint.

In the years since these updated policies were shared with members, dozens of behavior complaints have been received and investigated. While maintaining confidentiality, we want you to know that outcomes have included  leader and member suspensions and probationary periods, and, in some cases, expulsion from membership. 

WE MUST DO MORE

On the heels of our recent work to double down on efforts to prevent sexual harassment and assault, there were yet more high profile cases reported in the broader climbing world. Professional mountain guide and athlete, Melissa Arnot, recently wrote in an Instagram post a number of  powerful thoughts that bear repeating: 

“Women who are speaking out (and there are many, even if they speak quietly at first) are showing everyone the courage it takes to start the process of change. The vicious things that are said about them aren’t new - they are simply now on display for everyone to see. The attempted takedowns of their character is a tired tactic waged against women who are already so tired. But they are showing up and standing firm, and it matters. This conversation and the light it’s shining on a really pervasive issue is not fading away, it’s growing stronger. And so are we.

I believe that change is possible. I believe that some people have made mistakes and acted the way they were shown was ok to act by those around them. I don’t think it means that every person who has made a mistake should be canceled or shamed. I think those whose repeated behaviors go beyond mistakes and become crimes should be held accountable. And they will. I think those who have made mistakes should admit it, reflect and work on their own change.”

Melissa's words remind us that our commitment to learning and growing must guide everything we do. The Mountaineers has made strides in becoming more inclusive and welcoming, but we must acknowledge our past shortcomings. It is time to move beyond excuses and ensure that all forms of inappropriate behavior are addressed.

The bottom line is that we can and will be better. Sexual harassment and sexual assault are never acceptable behaviors in The Mountaineers under any circumstances. Period. We are committed to taking action against all inappropriate behavior and fostering a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

THE SEXUAL HARRASSMENT AND SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION COMMITTEE

In December 2023, the board of directors chartered the Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Prevention (SHSAP) Committee to further enhance our current behavior policies. The committee's mission is to:

“...develop recommended near-term and long-term improvements to our bylaws, behavior policies, and operational procedures to address the risk of sexual harassment and/or sexual assault of our members. The committee is charged with defining and understanding the risks of sexual harassment & sexual assault within The Mountaineers, identifying ways to prevent these behaviors, and identifying ways to respond to these behaviors.”

All policies at The Mountaineers undergo periodic reviews to assess what’s working well and what can be better. As we shared with membership in this blog, in December 2023, the board of directors chartered the Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Prevention (SHSAP) Committee to evaluate our current behavior policies, with the specific goal of doing more to protect members from sexual harassment and sexual assault. The SHSAP Committee has been meeting twice monthly since then. 

While The Mountaineers has had a long-standing commitment to safety driven by the Safety Committee, much of that committee's efforts have historically focused on physical safety. Part of the change the SHSAP Committee is pursuing is to recognize the connection between emotional safety and physical safety - not as separate, but as interdependent. Simply put, we can't achieve physical safety if we don't also pursue emotional safety and create places where people can speak up when they have concerns, be their authentic selves, and know that concerns will be met with respect and fairness in a timely way.

The SHSAP Committee blog page has been updated on a monthly basis to share highlights of the committee’s work. As a member of this committee, I have been impressed with the sense of urgency and commitment to implementing robust improvements. This sense of urgency has been balanced by a thoughtful engagement with challenging and nuanced topics that are necessary to develop a holistic plan for addressing members’ concerns. Together, with help from our community and an outside consultant, the committee has done the following: 

1. Established foundational beliefs
2. Identified areas of greatest risk within The Mountaineers
3. Surveyed peer organizations and benchmarked The Mountaineers against them
4. Identified gaps in risk management specific to sexual harassment and sexual assault
5. Brainstormed proposed actions to close the gaps
6. Prioritized proposed actions based on cost and potential impact

As part of our commitment to transparency, we will continue to update our community as this work progresses. I want to thank the many leaders and members across the organization who have been engaging in conversations about improving our approach to addressing sexual harassment and assault. This is not a problem that will be solved exclusively from the top down. Every leader, volunteer, and member must be part of the solution. To that end, I’m grateful for the thoughtful work that has been going on in our branches, activities, and other committees. These efforts play an important role in creating a culture of safety and respect, and are yet another reminder of what a wonderful, thoughtful, and caring community The Mountaineers is. 

Please feel free to reach out to me or another member of the SHSAP Committee with questions and ideas. Together, we can create a community where everyone feels safe and respected.