Sexual Harassment Policy (ROAS)

Oklahoma Region Sexual Harassment Policy

The Oklahoma Region Volleyball Association is committed to maintaining an athletic environment that is free from sexual harassment and/or unwanted sexual attention.  Harassment can occur between any combination of members of the volleyball community coaches, players, parents and organizers.  It generally occurs when one person, the harasser, holds a position of real or perceived authority over another individual.
Sexual Harassment may involve:
  • Suggestive comments about physical appearance
  • Leering or staring
  • Use or display of sexual material not legitimately connected to coaching volleyball
  • Sexual teasing
  • Jokes with sexual themes
  • Unwanted physical contact
  • Promises or rewards in return for sexual favors
  • Sexual assault

Oklahoma Region volleyball members may not engage in sexual harassment of another Oklahoma Region member, unwelcome and unwanted sexual advances, request for sexual favors, verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature such as sexual jokes, gestures, graffiti, posters, writings, touching or other physical contact may constitute sexual harassment when:

  • Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for participation, team selection or decisions affecting such individual.
  • Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s opportunity to participate in volleyball events alternatively, creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment.
  • Members encountering behavior perceived as harassment may seek to resolve the matter in direct conversation with the individual understood to have engaged in the harassment.
    • In the case of junior members, it should be taken to the team coach or club director.
    • If it is felt this approach is not likely to be productive or if such approach has been tried and failed the person harassed should make a report to the alleged harasser’s club administrator(s).  A report of sexual harassment should remain confidential to the extent that maintaining confidentiality is not inconsistent with investigating the report of harassment, eliminating or remedying any sexual harassment found to have occurred, or preventing future harassment.

Oklahoma Region Volleyball may in its discretion restrict from sanction events any member alleged to have committed sexual harassment or pending an investigation of a sexual harassment report.  Any member who engages in sexual harassment who fails to cooperate in an investigation of sexual harassment or who otherwise violates or acts in a manner inconsistent with this policy may be immediately dismissed as a member of the Oklahoma Volleyball Association.