Anti Bullying and Harassment Policy

Policy Statement

Our core value is Respect: respect for self, respect for others and respect for the community. We have a strong commitment to making sure every member of our community, regardless of background or personal abilities, is treated with respect and dignity. We strive to provide a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all members to enjoy the team sport of netball. 

We are committed to providing a kind and caring culture that allows learning, personal growth and positive self-esteem to develop in a safe environment. The emphasis on kindness ensures there is consistent interpretation and understanding. Highvale Netball Club aims to develop healthy and positive relationships where individual differences are respected. Highvale Netball Club will not tolerate harassment or bullying in any form.

Definitions:

• • Harassment is any verbal, physical, or sexual conduct (including gestures) which is uninvited, unwelcome or offensive to a person.
  • Bullying is repeated harassment, physical or psychological, of another person or group.
  • Bullying and Harassment may present in the following forms:
    • Verbal: including name calling, teasing, racist remarks, sexist comments, put downs, etc.
    • Nonverbal: such as obscene gestures or inappropriate acts.
    • Physical: including pushing, hitting, tripping, hair pulling etc, or stealing, hiding, or damaging belongings.
    • Social: such as alienating or ignoring someone or spreading rumors or implying inaccurate / misleading or inappropriate content about one’s character or reputation. This includes verbal and/or written form.
    • Psychological: where someone is made to feel threatened or intimidated by dirty looks, staring, hiding, or deliberately turning away etc.
    • Sexual harassment: such as sexist comments, comments about a person’s sexuality or appearance or inappropriate acts including inappropriate text messaging, emails, chat rooms, gossip, using someone’s image to upset etc
    • Cyber bullying consists of covert, psychological bullying, conveyed through the electronic mediums such as mobile phones, web logs and websites, online chat rooms, MUD rooms (multiuser domains where users take on different characters) and Xangas (online personal profiles where some adolescents create list of people they do not like). It is verbal (over the telephone, internet, or mobile phone), or written (flaming, threats, racial sexual or homophobic, harassment) using the various mediums available.