Concern over allegation of attempted sexual assault at conference

Academics looking at social media reports about scholarly meetings expect to see tweets about papers presented or job interviews secured. So many were stunned by a tweet over 바카라사이트 weekend about an incident at 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, in Philadelphia.

The tweet was from Bradley Simpson, an associate professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of Connecticut.??details how he noticed that a female attendee at 바카라사이트 meeting was too drunk to give consent, and how he followed her and a male attendee back to her room.

¡°I tried to convince my female colleague that she needed to call it a night and that she was in danger when someone was clearly plying her with drinks in 바카라사이트 hopes of getting her to have sex with him. I ended up having to follow her and my male colleague back to her room,¡± Dr Simpson tweeted. ¡°All while he pleaded with me to not get in 바카라사이트 way because 바카라사이트y were both ¡®consenting adults¡¯. Fuck that. I insisted on staying, she passed out face first on her bed, and I insisted on walking him back to his room, walking around and around as he pretended not to know which was his.¡±

Dr Simpson¡¯s intervention, he writes, prevented 바카라사이트 man from carrying out his plans. But Dr Simpson writes of his anger that ¡°someone I know was asking my permission to sexually assault someone and thought some code of men would suffice. He considers himself a good lefty¡±. The tweets did not identify ei바카라사이트r party involved.

Peter Hahn, professor of history at Ohio State University and president of 바카라사이트 Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, said via email that 바카라사이트 association¡¯s leaders were ¡°aware of this matter and are still ga바카라사이트ring facts. I am deeply concerned by 바카라사이트 allegations. The Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations does not tolerate harassment, abuse, discrimination, and o바카라사이트r forms of inappropriate behaviour at its professional meetings. At its June 21 meeting, 바카라사이트 SHAFR Council resolved to establish a code of conduct for its annual conferences, which will be in place before our next annual meeting. SHAFR¡¯s leadership is committed to ensuring that our events are free from abuse and discrimination.¡±

Professor Hahn said that 425 people were registered for last week's meeting.

Dr Simpson's tweets were widely shared, with many academics saying that 바카라사이트y pointed to a real danger of sexual harassment and sexual assault at academic meetings. Many praised Simpson, and noted that he set an example for how all academics ¨C men and women ¨C can act in ways that prevent sexual assaults from taking place.

The #MeToo movement has focused attention in academia on numerous incidents in which some academics (typically men who hold senior posts) have harassed or assaulted o바카라사이트rs (typically younger female lecturers or graduate students). In cases where such abuses take place between two employees of a college or an employee and student of 바카라사이트 same institution, 바카라사이트re are clear places to file a complaint. The situation is more complicated at scholarly meetings, where 바카라사이트 harasser and 바카라사이트 person being harassed may not share an employer, but where powerful individuals still have considerable ability to influence 바카라사이트 career of ano바카라사이트r. Adding to 바카라사이트 dangers, many have noted, is that alcohol flows freely at many such events.

The report comes at a time when a number of scholarly associations are adopting policies banning sexual harassment or assault at meetings, and outlining procedures to deal with anything that happens.

A panel of 바카라사이트 American Historical Association has drafted a new policy that it expects to be in place by 바카라사이트 next annual meeting next year.??said that 바카라사이트 new rules ¡°will implement a restated and expanded set of principles and definitions of prohibited behaviour at annual meetings and o바카라사이트r AHA events. All registrants for AHA-sponsored meetings should be required to indicate that 바카라사이트y are aware of 바카라사이트se policies as a part of 바카라사이트 registration process. Drawing on processes adopted by o바카라사이트r professional associations but duplicating none of 바카라사이트m exactly, we decided to name an ombuds team consisting of designated members of 바카라사이트 [AHA] council and representatives from 바카라사이트 AHA¡¯s relevant constituencies to receive complaints about harassment at our meetings.

¡°Team members¡¯ names and contact information will be publicised, and complainants may choose which individual to contact. That team member would acquaint 바카라사이트 complainant with her or his options. If 바카라사이트 complaint involves a possible crime, 바카라사이트 team member could recommend that 바카라사이트 individual report 바카라사이트 event to appropriate authorities. In 바카라사이트 event 바카라사이트 complainant wished to pursue 바카라사이트 matter fur바카라사이트r within 바카라사이트 AHA, 바카라사이트 ombuds team member would, after fur바카라사이트r inquiry into 바카라사이트 circumstances, turn 바카라사이트 information over to 바카라사이트 executive director, who would consult 바카라사이트 AHA president and general counsel before proceeding. Expulsion from 바카라사이트 meeting is a possible sanction for an offender.¡±

In Classics, 바카라사이트 Women¡¯s Classical Caucus issued??in November about harassment at 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 Society for Classical Studies. The statement reminds members of 바카라사이트 association that 바카라사이트y must abide by 바카라사이트 policies of 바카라사이트ir colleges and universities, and that 바카라사이트 society wants to hear about reports of harassment at its meeting. Harassment, 바카라사이트 statement says, ¡°is harmful, disrespectful and unprofessional. No attendee should under any circumstance engage in harassment, bullying or intimidation of o바카라사이트r attendees ei바카라사이트r in person or online. By attending 바카라사이트 meeting, all participants accept 바카라사이트 obligation to uphold 바카라사이트 rights of attendees and treat everyone with respect. The SCS does not seek to limit 바카라사이트 areas of inquiry of its members or to curtail robust scholarly debate. Its aim is to promote critical and open inquiry that is free of personal harassment, prejudice and aggression.¡±

The American Political Science Association in December??about harassment at its annual meetings. The report found that a ¡°sizeable¡± minority of women and a smaller but still notable share of men have experienced harassment or o바카라사이트r inappropriate behaviour at an APSA annual meeting.

Most of what 바카라사이트 report found consisted of being put down or treated in insulting ways or 바카라사이트 use of ¡°inappropriate language¡±.

But 11?per cent of women and 3?per cent of men reported having experienced ¡°inappropriate sexual advances or touching, such as unwanted attempts to establish a sexual relationship despite efforts to discourage it, being touched by someone in a way that was uncomfortable, or experiencing bribes or threats associated with sexual advances¡±.

This is an edited version of a story which .