Sexual Harassment at Readercon
Summary
This year at Readercon, Rene Walling stalked and repeatedly harassed Genevieve Valentine. Despite an anti-harassment policy that specified a lifetime ban for harassers, multiple witnesses to the harassment, and at least one outside report establishing harassment as a long-term pattern of behavior by Walling, Readercon decided to ban Rene Walling for two years.
Short version
During this year's Readercon, Rene Walling, a well-known fan, stalked and repeatedly harassed Genevieve Valentine, an author. Valentine reported the behavior to the con, which had a written "zero-tolerance" policy that specified a permanent ban from the convention for violators, a policy it had applied in at least one past incident. The con spent two weeks gathering reports from multiple witnesses and received at least one report of ongoing harassment outside Readercon.
Without explanation, the Readercon Board banned Walling for two years. After public criticism of the decision and the lack of transparency, the Board stated that the zero-tolerance policy had come from an assumption that harassers were "either intent on their specific behaviors, clueless, or both" (I have no idea what this means, or how Walling's repeated actions did not demonstrate intent). Since Walling apologized prettily, the Board has decided to limit his ban. But they'll consider it extending it if someone makes a "substantiated" complaint about Walling continuing this behavior elsewhere. The Board appears to believe that Walling's targets will feel perfectly welcome to come forward with additional complaints after seeing how Readercon treated this one. I personally do not share this confidence.
Many Readercon attendees are registering their objections to this decision.
Other fans have already begun the denial and minimization (see comments as well as main post).
Details
Genevieve Valentine, Readercon: The Bad and the Ugly
Genevieve Valentine, Readercon: The Verdict
Veronica Schanoes, Why Not Come Forward?
Readercon Board of Directors, Statement from the Readercon Board of Directors
Kate Kligman, Letter to the Readercon Board of Directors regarding other incidents of harassment by Rene Walling
Veronica Schanoes, Open letter to the Readercon Board
Genevieve Valentine, Updates on the Readercon Response
B.C. Holmes, The Readercon Thing (An exhaustive round-up of posts and responses)
cups brewed at DW
This year at Readercon, Rene Walling stalked and repeatedly harassed Genevieve Valentine. Despite an anti-harassment policy that specified a lifetime ban for harassers, multiple witnesses to the harassment, and at least one outside report establishing harassment as a long-term pattern of behavior by Walling, Readercon decided to ban Rene Walling for two years.
Short version
During this year's Readercon, Rene Walling, a well-known fan, stalked and repeatedly harassed Genevieve Valentine, an author. Valentine reported the behavior to the con, which had a written "zero-tolerance" policy that specified a permanent ban from the convention for violators, a policy it had applied in at least one past incident. The con spent two weeks gathering reports from multiple witnesses and received at least one report of ongoing harassment outside Readercon.
Without explanation, the Readercon Board banned Walling for two years. After public criticism of the decision and the lack of transparency, the Board stated that the zero-tolerance policy had come from an assumption that harassers were "either intent on their specific behaviors, clueless, or both" (I have no idea what this means, or how Walling's repeated actions did not demonstrate intent). Since Walling apologized prettily, the Board has decided to limit his ban. But they'll consider it extending it if someone makes a "substantiated" complaint about Walling continuing this behavior elsewhere. The Board appears to believe that Walling's targets will feel perfectly welcome to come forward with additional complaints after seeing how Readercon treated this one. I personally do not share this confidence.
Many Readercon attendees are registering their objections to this decision.
Other fans have already begun the denial and minimization (see comments as well as main post).
Details
Genevieve Valentine, Readercon: The Bad and the Ugly
Genevieve Valentine, Readercon: The Verdict
Veronica Schanoes, Why Not Come Forward?
Readercon Board of Directors, Statement from the Readercon Board of Directors
Kate Kligman, Letter to the Readercon Board of Directors regarding other incidents of harassment by Rene Walling
Veronica Schanoes, Open letter to the Readercon Board
Genevieve Valentine, Updates on the Readercon Response
B.C. Holmes, The Readercon Thing (An exhaustive round-up of posts and responses)
cups brewed at DW