About Our Safer Space Policy!!!

*** Merry Christmas everyone! ***

We have started the preparations for the Nordic Game Pre-party and this is one of the very first things we want to get in place: announcing of our Safer Space Policy. It is now official and will from now on be executed and can be referred to in all events we are responsible for.

The Safer Space Policy is here because we want to make sure that you know that if something or someone makes you feel uncomfortable at one of our events, no matter how minor it seems, you are encouraged to report it to us.

Copenhagen Game Collective works voluntarily to create an inspiring and cultivating environment of experimental and diverse game making. Every event we make is an effort in creating a space for experimental makers, players, critics and thinkers to meet, discuss and find inspiration. And every event we make is an invitation to new people to get involved because we believe that game creation is a social activity. In this social space diversity and difference is key. Every weird experiment, every new perspective and every unique contribution enriches our medium. Games are excellent platforms for individual expressivity, – humour, joy, stories, fear and hopes, weirdness, silliness and anger – and it ought to be a platform for everyone.

Although we are lucky and proud of the vibrant scene of experimental game making in and around Copenhagen we know we can do better. Situated in the Danish and Scandinavian culture we tend to deal with social problems in discrete and informal ways. We do appreciate the trust this signals, however, incidents of harassment and participants feeling uncomfortable at game events is a call for a more formal procedure. We actively want to reach more diverse audiences than the typical white male gamer maker and we want those audiences to feel safe and welcome. We believe an effort to create a safer space is a good first step.

We need your help to make this happen
1. We would like to hear from you, our guests and participants at previous events. If you have experienced anything that made you feel uncomfortable, or if you have any suggestions to what would make Copenhagen Game Collective run safer events please fill out this form: http://bit.ly/15BE45k – we hope feedback from you will continuously help us improve policies and attitudes that make everybody feel welcome.
2. While we hope to form the best policy based on feedback from you, we don’t want to wait. We will from now on have our best shot at a Safer Space Policy publicized at our website (at the bottom of this blog post), we will make sure to direct attention to this policy in our communication about events, and we will take steps to internally educate all volunteers at the Collective about these policies so they know what steps to take in any given situation.

Game culture has for years been charged with sexism, racism, discrimination and harassment of various kinds. Members of the Collective are dealing with this on a regular basis and we have no reason to believe that this is any different for the guests at our events. Although we cannot guarantee a space free of discrimination and harassment, we officially encourage everyone to change this together. Please speak up if you experience any form of discrimination or harassment – whether this is targeted at yourself or someone else. Please join us to enforce the Safer Space Policy!

Our Safer Space Policy
Copenhagen Game Collective is dedicated to fostering a safe-space environment at all our events: this means creating a space where all people, of any orientation, gender identity, and race, are respected, accepted and welcome. Harassment is not tolerated.
Harassment includes offensive verbal comments — related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, antisemitism, language, or otherwise — deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Guests asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately.

If a guest engages in harassing behavior, Collective members may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from our events. No refunds will be offered in the case of expulsion from a paid event.
Attendance at Copenhagen Game Collective events implies that the participants agree to, and will abide by, these rules.
If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a Safer Space Ambassador, recognizable by a Safer Space button, see image.

Safer Space Ambassadors are ready to help out in any possible way, e.g. contacting venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the events.

Whilst we would like to feel that we offer an environment in which you can voice concerns about incidents as and when they happen we also welcome you to reach out to us to inform us of past harassment or incidents related to our events which made you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

We value your attendance!

Local law enforcement: [Emergency](+45) 112 [non-emergency] (+45) 114
Local sexual assault hot-line: Danners Krisecenter, open for personal advice all days between 11-14.30
[Adress] Nansensgade 1, 1366 København K
[Phone hotline] +45 3333 0047
For injuries or sudden illness: (+45) 1813
Local taxi company: +45 35 35 35 35

***Note for safe/anonymous reports of harassment***

We believe people should feel safe in reporting issues of harassment. When contacting collective members, by word or mail, your reports will stay anonymous unless otherwise stated. Your privacy is of utmost importance.
We can be reached at: info@cphgc.org
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The text for this policy is adapted from http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Conference_anti-harassment