Consent Policy
All conferees are asked to sign the consent policy upon arrival
Summer’s End seeks to be an inclusive and safe space for all community members, and values the emotional, physical, and sexual safety of everyone. Consent from all parties is a crucial part of empowering connection between people. This is especially true when it comes to physical touch, and sexual touch or language.
Consent means an informed, enthusiastic, and ongoing yes. Consent must be mutual and can be withdrawn by any person involved at any time. If someone has given consent in the past, that doesn’t equal consent in the present or in the future. Consent for one action doesn’t imply consent for another. You need verbal consent with different levels and kinds of intimacy.
There are many different levels of intimacy: for example, shaking someone’s hand versus cuddling with someone. Similarly, there are many different kinds of intimacy, including (but not limited to) emotional, physical, platonic, and sexual. If someone wants one kind of intimacy, they might NOT want another kind. For example, having an emotional hug during worship doesn’t equal consent to more hugging or touching later on in the night.
It’s essential to both communicate our boundaries, and ask others what their boundaries are, bearing in mind that we all have different embodied experiences, found our boundaries through different paths, and may still be discovering what our boundaries are. It can be harder for some people to talk about and assert their boundaries. Because of this, it’s important to ask with compassion and patience. (This means sincerely seeking to know the other person’s boundaries, rather than pushing them to accept those that best match ours.)
If someone’s boundaries are ignored or violated, Summer’s End seeks to be restorative, focusing on what the harmed person needs first and foremost, and secondly finding ways to amend the harm done. If someone violates your boundaries, you can talk to a member of staff, your family group leader, or any conferee you feel comfortable with, to receive support and figure out a course of action that will help you feel safest. If you violate someone else’s boundaries, you must take accountability and act to amend the harm done to that person (in the way that they want), as well as amend the harm done to the community in breaking our agreements of consent and respect.
Consent means an informed, enthusiastic, and ongoing yes. Consent must be mutual and can be withdrawn by any person involved at any time. If someone has given consent in the past, that doesn’t equal consent in the present or in the future. Consent for one action doesn’t imply consent for another. You need verbal consent with different levels and kinds of intimacy.
There are many different levels of intimacy: for example, shaking someone’s hand versus cuddling with someone. Similarly, there are many different kinds of intimacy, including (but not limited to) emotional, physical, platonic, and sexual. If someone wants one kind of intimacy, they might NOT want another kind. For example, having an emotional hug during worship doesn’t equal consent to more hugging or touching later on in the night.
It’s essential to both communicate our boundaries, and ask others what their boundaries are, bearing in mind that we all have different embodied experiences, found our boundaries through different paths, and may still be discovering what our boundaries are. It can be harder for some people to talk about and assert their boundaries. Because of this, it’s important to ask with compassion and patience. (This means sincerely seeking to know the other person’s boundaries, rather than pushing them to accept those that best match ours.)
If someone’s boundaries are ignored or violated, Summer’s End seeks to be restorative, focusing on what the harmed person needs first and foremost, and secondly finding ways to amend the harm done. If someone violates your boundaries, you can talk to a member of staff, your family group leader, or any conferee you feel comfortable with, to receive support and figure out a course of action that will help you feel safest. If you violate someone else’s boundaries, you must take accountability and act to amend the harm done to that person (in the way that they want), as well as amend the harm done to the community in breaking our agreements of consent and respect.