In the wake of an unpleasant interaction at a local event, I wrote to the Society Seneschal to ask about the correct way for observers to file reports regarding inappropriate behavior towards youth.
In response I was informed that “there are no policies that limit who can report concerns about such actions,” although I didn’t receive a response to my follow-up asking for additional details.
A few weeks later the same subject came up during East Kingdom Curia, when the Kingdom Seneschal mentioned that harassment reports regarding minor participants should only be filed by parents or guardians, and could not be initiated by other observers.
This interpretation was confirmed via email — “it is up to the legal guardian / parent to file a report” — along with an indication that this is an established Society-wide policy.
I’m not sure what to make of the gap between these two explanations.
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: Society Seneschal
Date: 20 December 2023
Hello,
I have a delicate question about the proper way to report an incident involving a minor.
A friend of mine told me about a situation that sounds like inappropriate behavior by one of our adult members towards a teenager at a recent event. (The adult in question is an older peer who other young women have repeatedly described as “creepy,” and I know he has been previously been banished following some earlier incidents.)
As far as I’ve been told, his actions weren’t illegal, and I don’t know enough to say whether any kind of official administrative response is needed, but some people might interpret it as harassment, and it definitely did upset a few folks who were there.
Would it be appropriate for someone who was present in the room when this happened to report what they know about this situation to a seneschal?
Or is there a policy that would suggest that the girl’s parents are the ones who are responsible for filing any reports, and the onlookers should stay out of it?
Thank you for any guidance you might have on this sensitive situation.
— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
From: Society Seneschal
To: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Date: 22 December 2023
In answer to your question: If someone honestly believes another’s actions endanger a minor, they need to inform the parents, the officer in charge, and possibly law enforcement. There are no policies that limit who can report concerns about such actions. Any reports to an SCA officer should include as much information as possible, to make following up easier.
In service,
Elasait ingen Diarmata
Society Seneschal
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: Society Seneschal
Date: 27 December 2023
Mistress Elasait,
Thank you for your prompt response.
However, I’m not sure how to interpret the word “endanger” in your reply.
The behavior seemed to make the teen uncomfortable, but I’m not aware of any physical contact, and I believe their parents will take steps to avoid future occurrences, such as avoiding events where the peer in question might be present.
Does this guidance mean we should refrain from reporting incidents that don’t involve “danger”?
Is endangerment a standard factor in SCA harassment reporting, or is it specific to minors?
With appreciation for your service,
— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Note: I never received a response to this email.
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: East Kingdom Seneschal
Date: 23 January 2024
Hello,
I try to pay close attention during Curia but I think I missed a few words during your presentation, so wanted to double-check that I had heard correctly.
Am I correct in understanding that the seneschalate is only accepting reports of harassment or inappropriate behavior towards minors if they are filed by their parents?
Aside from anything that seems life-threatening or criminal — which obviously should still be reported to mundane law enforcement — is there any official guidance on what folks should do if they observe kids or teens being subjected to problematic behavior at Society events?
My apologies if I misunderstood the policy, and thank you for any clarification you can provide.
With appreciation for your service,
— Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
From: East Kingdom Seneschal
To: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Date: 3 February 2024
[…]
Your assessment is correct. It is up to the legal guardian / parent to file a report with the Kingdom Seneschal if they wish to seek further action regarding inappropriate behavior toward a minor.
If a non-custodial human observes such behavior that is not immediately warranting police involvement, the first step should be to advise the legal guardian. The legal guardian should then make the choice to address the situation on their own, which should always be the first step. They can then alert the Kingdom Seneschal if they feel further action is required.
It is extremely important we encourage people to address social concerns themselves FIRST before engaging the KSen’s Office. Ultimately, as officers, we are not babysitters. People should feel empowered to resolve situations themselves. If it requires further assistance, that’s when this office should be engaged. Often people miss that step. That said, if people feel uncomfortable confronting someone about inappropriate behavior, and Officer can be tapped to mediate / provide backup. But truly, people should be handling social concerns one-on-one first.
With youth, the legal guardian should feel empowered to say “hey, that’s not appropriate, and I would ask you to stop interacting with my child in that manner.” If the behavior doesn’t stop, that’s when the KSen’s office should step in and provide further assistance.
I hope this rambling email makes sense. Please let me know if I need to clarify anything!
[…]
In Service,
Magistra Audrye Beneyt
East Kingdom Seneschal
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: East Kingdom Seneschal
Date: 3 February 2024
It is extremely important we encourage people to address social concerns themselves FIRST before engaging the KSen’s Office. Ultimately, as officers, we are not babysitters. People should feel empowered to resolve situations themselves.
Absolutely; working these kinds of things out isn’t always easy, but it seems much more direct to address them face-to-face — and only fall back to handling it through an intermediary when power differentials or other circumstances make that impossible.
It is up to the legal guardian / parent to file a report with the Kingdom Seneschal if they wish to seek further action regarding inappropriate behavior toward a minor.
Out of curiosity, is this a new policy being rolled out Society-wide, or an interpretation specific to us here in the East?
Thanks again,
— Mathghamhain
From: East Kingdom Seneschal
To: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
Date: 3 February 2024
This is not a new policy. This is the policy as has been cited to me from Society, pretty much since I stepped up. It has been reiterated a few times over the course of my tenure, and until recently, I’ve not needed to explicitly state it.
I’m working on a draft of “So you want to file a report / complaint” or some such but it’s probably going to be a little bit before I can get anything together which is sensible to put out to the public.
From: Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin
To: East Kingdom Seneschal
Date: 3 February 2024
I asked that question because when I spoke to the Society Seneschal about this topic recently, they didn’t mention the “only parents can report” requirement, although they might have been thinking about it from a different angle — figuring out where to draw the boundaries for issues involving kids is always tricky…