Wood HQ upholds a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and assault at our events.
Wood HQ takes every allegation of sexual assault or harassment seriously.
Wood HQ actively promotes the principle of consent regarding sexual activity onsite at our events.
Wood HQ takes a survivor-led approach that is underpinned by procedures and training.
Where relevant, Wood HQ will work with appropriate authorities to ensure that a survivor’s complaint is acted upon promptly and investigated.
Wood HQ clearly communicates our Safer Spaces Policy to our audience, to staff, volunteers, artists, contractors, and third-parties.
In England and Wales, the legal definition of sexual harassment is when someone carries out unwanted sexual behaviour towards another person that makes them feel upset, scared, offended or humiliated. It is also when someone carries out this behaviour with the intention of making someone else feel that way. This means that it can still be sexual harassment even if the other person didn’t feel upset, scared, offended or humiliated.
The Equality Act 2010 says someone sexually harasses another person if they:
This unwanted sexual conduct can happen in person, on the phone, by text or email, or online. Both the harasser and the survivor or survivor can be of any gender.
Sexual harassment includes a really wide range of behaviours, such as:
Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
This means that people are legally protected from sexual harassment in certain places – for example, at work, on transport and at schools, colleges and universities.
So, if sexual harassment does happen in these places, survivors and survivors have the right to take action to find a solution. This could include making a complaint or making a claim in the civil courts.
When sexual harassment is a crime
Some forms of sexual harassment automatically break criminal law in England and Wales and are therefore crimes. These include:
Other forms of sexual harassment might also break criminal law, depending on the situation. For example, if someone carries out sexual harassment behaviours on more than one occasion that are intended to cause another person alarm or distress, they may be committing the crime of harassment.
In cases of sexual harassment where a crime was committed, the following can happen:
Wood HQ has taken this explanation of sexual harassment and assault from Rape Crisis England and Wales.
Consent is defined as someone engaging in sexual activity if they agree by choice, and they have the freedom and capacity to make that choice. Consent can be revoked at any time.
Please let a member of the Wood HQ Team know what happened so we can support you. You can do this:
We will find a space that is private and where you feel safe and comfortable to discuss what happened and to decide what to do next. If you need medical attention, we will involve our first aid team and find the most suitable place to address your needs.
Everyone can play an active role in promoting safety by being an active bystander.
The 5 Ds of how to be an active bystander:
DIRECT
Directly intervene in the situation.
DISTRACT
Take an indirect approach to deescalate the situation and interrupt what is happening
DELEGATE
Get help from someone else to intervene.
DOCUMENT
Document the situation as it is happening.
DELAY
After the incident has happened, check in with the person who was harmed.
Voluntary Organisations
24-hour freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpful run by Refuge
0808 2000 247
NHS Support
You can also get help and support from a doctor or practice nurse at your GP surgery, a hospital accident and emergency department (A & E), a genitourinary medicine (GUM) or sexual health clinic, a contraceptive clinic, a young people’s service, NHS 111.
Police
Dial 101
In an emergency dial 999
