Harassment, including sexual or racial harassment, is unwelcome, unsolicited and unreciprocated behaviour by a person or group that may offend, humiliate or intimidate another.  Harassment can take different forms including oral, written, physical or other non-verbal forms.  Such behaviours are considered harassment when they are repeated of such a significant nature threat they have a detrimental effect on the recipient’s ability to engage in normal activities within the club environment.  

If a complaint is made, Mercury Bay Football Club will ensure allegations are responded to promptly and all parties will be treated fairly and in line with natural justice.  

Informal Resolution

The member should appropriately make the person aware that the behavior or material is unwelcome and /or offensive in the first instance.  For more serious issues, or if is too difficult to inform the person, or if the unacceptable behavior continues, the member should report the complaint to a contact person/ team manager and or club representative.

Where the complainant wishes, the contact person/ team manager/ or club representative may speak to the alleged harasser on their behalf.  This may result in issues being resolved, or mediation or reconciliation may be suggested as an option.

Mediation should treat the complaint not as an offence but as a breakdown in a relationship.  The aim of mediation is not to establish whether the harassment allegations are true, or to apportion blame, or to supply justice for a wronged person.  Rather, mediation focuses on repairing the relationship, especially on forging an agreement between the parties over how they will act towards each other in the future.   The person selected to carry out the mediation/reconciliation shall be agreed to by both parties.

Formal Resolution

Formal resolution may be appropriate where: the nature of harassment is serous; or informal resolution is not considered appropriate or has failed. MBFC has adopted a Formal Incident Investigation Process based on NZF guidelines which is to be used should a formal investigation be deemed appropriate.  Parties should be offered external support.

If the allegation is of a sexual nature, involving a minor, the NZ Police must be notified immediately. 

Version 1:  02 January 2020  D ALLEN