The Symposium’s Respect Policy

Pandora Promotions LLC and the Steampunk Empire Symposium are dedicated to providing a safe and comfortable convention experience for everyone. Harassment of any kind, including physical assault, battery, deliberate intimidation, stalking, or unwelcome physical attentions, will not be tolerated. If people tell you “no” or to leave them alone, your business with them is done. Leave them alone. Do not follow them or attempt to disrupt their convention experience in any way.

If you feel that you are being harassed, please immediately notify a Symposium Staff Member; they can be identified by their red lanyard and badge ribbon. The situation will be assessed by security and our team of counselors to determine what further action needs to be taken. Possible consequences of harassment can include being barred from the convention, and in the case of a legal infraction the local police authority will be notified.

The Steampunk Empire Symposium is not responsible for solving any interpersonal problems that may arise between individual members. In general, we can take no action to prevent a person from attending the convention unless that person has made a specific and credible threat toward the convention itself. If you feel that a threat exists against your person, we advise you to seek a restraining order against the individual in question and to present it to the chairman in advance of the convention; otherwise, we recommend simply avoiding that individual. If that individual stalks, harasses, or attempts to assault you at the convention itself, you may report that individual to a Symposium Staff Member (identifiable by red lanyard and staff ribbon) and the appropriate action will be taken. Conversely, any attempt to have an innocent person removed from the convention by falsely accusing him or her of threats will be itself treated as an act of harassment and will be dealt with appropriately. The responsibility for settling interpersonal disputes lies solely with the individuals involved, and Pandora Promotions LLC and the Steampunk Empire Symposium will not tolerate being used as a leveraging point in such disputes.

Overall, members of the Steampunk Community are indeed a wonderful group of people who are very respectful of others. Together we can work to ensure that all attendees of the Steampunk Empire Symposium have a great weekend in an environment that is safe and free of harassment.

Much of the wording of this Respect Policy is taken from the anti-harassment policies of AnthroCon and the Con Anti-Harassment Project.