Guidelines if employees or volunteers witness member-to-member sexual behaviors that are contrary to defined behavioral expectations between members.
Member-to-member sexual behaviors can include inappropriate touching, exposing body parts, using sexualized language, making threats of sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity, and similar types of interactions.
If employees or volunteers witness member-to-member sexual behaviors that are contrary to defined behavioral expectations between members, they are instructed to follow these guidelines:
- If you observe sexual activity between members, you should safely separate them as soon as possible.
- Calmly explain that such interactions are not permitted and separate the members.
- Notify your supervisor and parent/guardian (when applicable).
- Complete an incident report with what you observed and how you responded.
- Follow your supervisor’s instructions regarding notifying the authorities and informing the parents/guardians of the members involved.
- Do not attempt to determine whether the member’s behavior was “sexual curiosity”. There is not a standard definition of what normal sexual curiosity is.
- If the problem is recurring, additional action may be required including the suspension of membership privileges.
- Identify how members will be managed or supported to prevent further occurrences of sexual activity.
Supervisors and administrators responding to member-to-member sexual activity
If a supervisor or administrator receives a report of a member’s sexualized behavior or member-to-member sexual activity, they are instructed to follow these guidelines:
- Meet with employee or volunteer who reported the sexual activity to gather additional information.
- Confirm that the members involved have been separated or placed under increased supervision.
- Notify the proper authorities.
- Review the incident report to confirm it is accurate and thoroughly completed.
- Meet with parents/guardians of the members involved (when applicable)
- Review the immediate steps taken by the employee or volunteer who initially responded.
- Determine what additional actions should be taken to ensure there is not a recurrence.
- In some cases, member behavior may be managed through a safety or behavior management plan. Develop a written corrective action or follow up plan in response to the incident.