Policy for the prevention of psychological and sexual harassment

Objective 

Caravane Films Productions, producer of the REGARD Festival, is committed to preventing and providing the necessary tools to respond to any type of psychological, sexual or discriminatory harassment within its organization and during its activities and events. The organization has a set of principles that come into play when a harassment complaint is filed or a situation is reported.

Scope

The policy applies to all REGARD staff, at all levels, as well as all participants in the festival activities, and in the following places and contexts:

→ Workplace, including teleworking locations where applicable;
→ All Festival locations, at screenings and activities;
→ Any other place not mentioned but where people are carrying out festival-related work (e.g.: common areas on the premises used by both employees and volunteers; during meetings, training, travel or social activities organised by REGARD).

This policy also covers communications transmitted or received by any means, technological or other, in the context of work and Festival and off-Festival activities.

Définitions

Participant
A participant is someone who participates – in any way or form – in activities related to Festival REGARD, including but not limited to:

→ Festival guests
→ Festival-goers: passport/ticket/accreditation holders
→ Festival partners
→ Sponsors
→ Media
→ Festival staff
→ Board members
→ Volunteers
→ Suppliers

Psychological harassment
The Act respecting labour standards defines psychological harassment as follows:

"Any aggravating behaviour in the form of repeated, hostile or unwanted conduct, verbal comments, actions or gestures that affects the dignity or psychological or physical integrity of an employee, volunteer or festival-goer and that creates a harmful work or living environment for the employee, volunteer or festival-goer. For greater clarity, psychological harassment includes such conduct when it manifests itself in words, acts or gestures of a sexual nature. A single serious act may also constitute psychological harassment if it causes such harm and produces a lasting harmful effect on the employee, volunteer or festival-goer.”

The definition includes discriminatory harassment related to one of the articles set out in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms 2.

The notion of harassment must be distinguished from other situations, such as interpersonal conflicts, work-related stress, difficult work constraints or the normal exercise of management rights (attendance management, organisation, disciplinary measures, etc.).

The term psychological harassment includes discriminatory harassment and sexual harassment, as described below:

By way of example, the following behaviours could be considered as aggravating conduct constituting harassment if they meet the other criteria of the notion of psychological harassment:

→ Intimidation, cyberbullying, threats, isolation;
→ Offensive or defamatory remarks or gestures about a person or their work, by any means of technological or other communication;
→ Verbal abuse;
→ Denigration.

Discriminatory harassment
Discriminatory harassment refers to psychological harassment based on any of the grounds listed in section 10 of the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms, i.e., as of the date of adoption of this Code of Conduct, race, colour, sex, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, civil status, age (except as provided by law), religion or beliefs or gender expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, age (except as provided by law), religion, political convictions, language, ethnic or national origin, social condition, disability or the use of any means to palliate such disability.

Sexual harassment
The term sexual harassment refers to psychological harassment related to words, acts or gestures of a sexual nature, such as a sexual advance, a request for a sexual favour, a gesture or contact of a sexual nature or any other verbal, non-verbal or physical behaviour of a sexual nature, such as an insult, foul language, a joke, a remark, the display or distribution of drawings, images, calendars or the sending of electronic messages (e-mails, text messages, Messenger, Facebook posts or other).

POLICY STATEMENT

Festival REGARD does not tolerate or condone any form of psychological or sexual harassment within its organization or on its premises, whether it be:

→ By managers towards employees and vice-versa;
→ Between colleagues;
→ Between employees and volunteers, or vice versa; 
→ Between employees and participants, or vice versa;
→ Between participants;
→ Between volunteers.

CONSEQUENCES AND MEASURES

Any violation of the code brought to the attention of REGARD Festival will be dealt with appropriately, depending on the circumstances, and immediately stopped. The Festival reserves the right to expel any person who contravenes this policy without reimbursement of their ticket, passport or accreditation. We reserve the right to ask Festival venue managers to remove anyone who contravenes this code from the site. We do not tolerate violent acts of any kind.

If you feel that you have been the target of behaviour covered by this code, or if you have observed such a situation, we strongly encourage you to first notify on-site personnel: a counsellor, a member of the Sentinel Brigade, a member of the REGARD team, or a volunteer who can then either intervene or direct you to the appropriate person. If you are unable to speak with someone on site, we invite you to write to the Festival at [email protected].

Our team, made up of volunteers and professionals, is trained and informed of the procedures in the event of such an incident. The REGARD team is committed to supporting individuals affected by such conduct. We will refer them to the appropriate resources and, of course, recognise the validity of the event and not minimize it in any way.

The provisions set out in this code should not be interpreted as a restriction or limitation of a person's right to lodge a complaint or to initiate legal proceedings before the competent courts.

Here is a list of external resources that can assist you if such a situation arises: 

Le CALACS
Centers for Help and Combat Against Sexual Assault
In Saguenay : 418-545-6444 
Elsewhere in Quebec : 1-877-717-5252
Email : [email protected] 
Website : https://calacsdusaguenay.ca/ 

La Maison ISA
Centers for Help and Combat Against Sexual Assault
418-545-6444

La Chambrée
Shelter and Accommodation House for Women Living in Domestic Violence
418-547-7283

Centre féminin du Saguenay inc.
Shelter and Support House for Women Victims of Violence
418-549-4343

Street Outreach Service
Jonquière : 418-542-7537 poste 111
Chicoutimi : 418-545-0999

Diversité 02
Organization whose mission is the intervention and support of LGBTQIA2+ individuals
581-447-2211
Email: info@diversité02.ca 

Gai-Écoute 
1-888-505-1010
www.interligne.co   

Suicide Prevention Center 02
1-866-APPELLE (1-866-277-3553)
www.cps02.org