Safe Space Committee
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The Safe Space Committee (SSC) is a team under the GSD Council dedicated to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and harassment-free environment for all dancers. The committee works to ensure that everyone can enjoy dancing in a safe, respectful, and supportive space.
The SSC operates within the GSD Code of Conduct, linked below, and adheres to all of its guidelines. The Code of Conduct is available on this website and in printed form at our events. If you would like to review a physical copy, please ask a front desk volunteer for assistance.
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Understanding Our Policies
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Our club policies are designed to govern the conduct of our members and visitors as they engage with our website and participate in our events. These policies are tailored to meet the unique needs of our dance community, ensuring a positive and enjoyable experience for all.
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Your Experience Matters
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We want you to have a great experience with us. Our policies address various aspects including membership requirements, event participation guidelines, privacy considerations, and more. For a detailed understanding, review our full policy document.
FAQs: Reporting to the SSC
How do I report a concern?
If you experience or witness a violation of this Code of Conduct, please bring it to the attention of a GSD organizer or SSC member. You may:
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Speak with a front desk volunteer or event organizer, who can connect you with a SSC member.
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Contact us via email at swingdancing.gainesville@gmail.com
GSD organizers and SSC members may take any action they deem necessary to maintain the safety and well-being of our community, including (but not limited to) asking individuals to leave the event without refund, or contacting emergency services if needed.
Our team acts in good faith with a focus on community safety. While we strive to respect privacy and handle reports discreetly, we cannot guarantee anonymity. We are not an investigative body but will make every effort to address issues promptly, respectfully, and transparently.
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What will happen if I reach out to someone?
This will largely depend on what you want us to do! We can process an unpleasant experience with you; we can talk to the person who’s hurt you and keep your identity anonymous; we can mediate a conversation between you and the offender; we can quietly keep an eye on a situation throughout the night; we can discretely interrupt uncomfortable situations for you; we can come up with a different way of approaching a situation that feels appropriate to you and us. We will do our best to uphold your privacy.
What should you do if you are approached about any of these things?
We get it – sometimes in life, we all do things that impact others in ways we didn’t intend. We’ve all realized we were ignorant of others’ experiences or that we’ve hurt someone else. It is likely that a member of leadership is going to come talk to you in private. We want to protect your dignity and privacy – we’re not here to tell you that you’re a terrible person, or to broadcast what happened. We’re here to help you learn and help everyone feel more comfortable.
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Don’t get caught up in defensiveness; listen and try to understand what the other person is saying from their perspective.
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Take responsibility for what happened. Recognize what happened and apologize to the other person.
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Don’t make your apology about you. Don’t list into a long explanation of what happened, why, what your beliefs are, apologize profusely, etc. This means the other person is now stuck comforting you, rather than moving on and continuing to enjoy their night. It’s not about your feelings in that moment, it’s about theirs.
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Take the time to educate yourself in your own free time on why a certain comment or action may be damaging to the person you’ve hurt.
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Think about what kind of environment you want to see at GSD, and help us create it!
