I. PREFACE
The Leadership Council for Women in National Security’s (LCWINS’) mission is centered around gender diversity and we believe strongly in improving diversity across all categories, including age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, marital status, military service status, national origin, parental status, physical appearance, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. Our organization’s success is dependent on maintaining a welcoming environment of respect, dignity, kindness and inclusion for all participants in LCWINS events, activities, meetings, or other gatherings.
LCWINS is dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming experience for all who engage with the organization, regardless of age, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, marital status, military service status, national origin, parental status, physical appearance, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. LCWINS will not tolerate harassment in any form, including discriminatory harassment or unwelcome physical contact. Anyone who is a part of LCWINS or who participates in an LCWINS event who violates our norms is subject to expulsion from events and barring from future participation and communication.
II. EXPECTATIONS
All participants in LCWINS events, activities, meetings or other gatherings, including remote or virtual events, are expected to treat other participants with respect, dignity, kindness and inclusion. Creation of a safe and welcoming environment is a shared responsibility held by all participants. Harassment and other problematic behavior reduce the value of participation for everyone, not just those on the receiving end. Participants who believe they are witnessing or experiencing behavior that runs counter to our expectations of respect, dignity, kindness and inclusion, are encouraged, though not required, to identify the behavior and ask the offender to stop it by referencing this policy. Participants are equally encouraged to exercise their option to leave a situation that makes them feel targeted or unsafe.
If you or someone else experiences problematic behavior, regardless of how you otherwise choose to initially handle the situation, you are encouraged to report the situation to LCWINS. (See Section IV, "Reporting and Enforcement.") Even if the behavior you witnessed or experienced is stopped, it is possible that the behavior is part of a larger pattern or behavior merits follow-up so that such patterns do not develop. Please alert LCWINS to the behavior you feel to be problematic regardless of the offender’s identity or standing in the organization.
Additionally, if you have an incident to report, please report it as soon as possible. The most effective method of resolving actual or perceived harassment is early identification and intervention. Timely reporting helps LCWINS to take constructive action and protect those who have been harmed or may be harmed.
III. POLICY APPLICATION
This policy applies at all LCWINS events, activities, meetings and gatherings, whether formal or informal and whether they are remote/virtual or in-person. This policy applies to all participants of such events, activities, meetings and gatherings by any participant, including LCWINS volunteers, consultants, fellows, interns, staff, Executive Committee members, Honorary Advisory Committee members and Leadership Council members, and speakers, moderators or attendees.
IV. REPORTING AND ENFORCEMENT
If you have an incident or concern to report, you may contact the LCWINS Executive Director at ombuds@lcwins.org. This email address goes only to her inbox. If you do not feel comfortable reaching out to the Executive Director for any reason, please use the email address ombuds2@lcwins.org. That email will go to the LCWINS Program Manager, who will immediately forward the matter to our Executive Committee chairs for their awareness and resolution.
The complaint and investigation will be handled with respect for the privacy of all involved, and will be confidential to the extent practical, given the circumstances. Upon receiving a complaint, the matter may be further investigated by the Executive Director and/or an appropriate designee from the Executive Committee. Details of the complaint may later be shared with members of the Executive Committee, depending on the case. Individuals to be notified and actions to be taken will be discussed beforehand with the person identifying the incident or concern and the person who was the recipient or target of alleged problematic behavior where possible.
Please note that LCWINS believes in respecting the wishes of those directly involved in an incident. While you should feel welcome to report an incident even if you are not the target of problematic behavior, LCWINS reserves the right to resolve the matter and to continue or discontinue enforcement as appropriate.
V. PROBLEMATIC BEHAVIOR
Any behavior that violates LCWINS’ norms of respect, dignity, kindness and inclusion is considered to be problematic and worthy of follow-up. If you see, hear or experience any behavior in the context of your engagement with LCWINS has led you to question whether our norms were violated, we encourage you to report the concern or incident.
APPENDIX
For those who seek more detail regarding potentially problematic behavior, the below definition is meant to help, but not be exhaustive.
Harassment is behavior that is hostile or offensive. Harassment includes, but is not limited to:
Harassment does not require intent to offend. Statements or actions that might be described as “microaggressions” are included within LCWINS’ definition of harassment. Harassment includes actions above that are intended to be jokes, "kidding," or "teasing".
Harassment does not include consensual personal and social relationships conducted in private spaces.