Our goal at OMG!con is to provide a safe, fun environment for all attendees!
As such, we have a zero tolerance policy for harassment, bullying, verbal assault, physical assault, and stalking.
What Counts As Harassment
Harassment is defined as unwanted behavior that creates an intimidating, offensive, and/or hostile environment for the person being targeted. It can be physical or psychological.
If someone tells you that your comments or behavior are unwelcome, then you must stop immediately.
If that person tells you to leave them alone, then you must cease contact.
It doesn't matter if you don't think that your behavior is harassing; harassment is defined by the victim.
Examples of harassment can include, but are not limited to:
- Making comments about a person's appearance, sexual and/or vulgar statements, offensive jokes, or anything disparaging a person's gender, race, religion, sexuality, identity, etc.
- Bullying and discrimination.
- Whistling, catcalling, and any kind of non-consensual flirting or sexual advancement.
- Following someone or impeding their path.
- Attending a person's panels solely to heckle them.
- Photographing or recording someone without their permission (whether or not they are in cosplay).
- Exposing oneself, or miming sexual acts.
- Bathroom policing (harassing someone because of the bathroom that they feel most comfortable using).
- Touching someone without their permission.
- Repeated texting, phone calls, or emails, after being told to stop.
- Any persistent action that creates a hostile environment for the person or persons being targeted
What Do I Do If I'm Being Harassed, Or See Someone Being Harassed?
OMG!con has a dedicated Public Safety Team, and we do our best to prevent these kinds of incidents, as well as to address them swiftly when they do happen.
If you are being harassed by anyone (attendees, guests, vendors, volunteers, or even staff or convention center employees), or if you see someone being harassed, please find the nearest volunteer or staff member and report it as soon as possible. They will get someone from our Public Safety Team to assist.
We have both male and female presenting members on our Public Safety Team, so if you are not comfortable with talking to a specific Public Safety Team member, we can provide someone else for you.
We take all reports of harassment seriously, regardless of who is involved, and no retaliation for filing a report will be tolerated.
Consequences Of Harassment
Any violations of our harassment policy will result in immediate penalties depending on the severity of the action. Such penalties may include:
- Verbal warning. (For a minor offense. You will only be warned once.)
- Confiscation of your badge and ejection from the event, with no refund.
- Temporary or permanent banning from any and all future events put on by OMG!con.
- Contacting law enforcement when appropriate.
If You Need Help From Law Enforcement
If you believe that you are in immediate physical danger, call 911.
If you are calling from a cell phone, please tell the dispatcher that you are in Owensboro, Kentucky so that they can quickly route the call to the correct emergency department.
If needed, the non-emergency number for the Owensboro Police Department is 1-270-687-8888.
The Fine Print
Most of this policy is taken from the Cosplayer Survivor Support Network's "Sample Harassment Policy" and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License.
Modifications have been made in order to fit with how OMG!con is organized.