Code of Conduct

Development

The following text represents the official Code of Conduct for all individuals attending IASR events. Members made suggestions for what to include at the 2019 Business Meeting in Mexico City, then the IASR Executive drafted a formal document based on samples from other academic organizations. Through an iterative process of soliciting and incorporating feedback, the Code of Conduct was approved on September 30, 2020 with the support of 87% of voters, including full, associate, and student members.

Since the Code of Conduct’s initial approval, the IASR Executive has worked with an advisory committee to establish a mechanism for members to register complaints of harassment, which is now available as an online reporting form. Members are also free to bring complaints directly to IASR Executives. All reports of misconduct will be reviewed by the Executive to determine any consequences, including disciplinary action if warranted.

Additionally, in response to suggestions made at the 2022 Business Meeting, the IASR Executive introduced a separate listserv policy and expanded the Code of Conduct to apply to online communications via IASR’s listservs.

In accordance with these changes, the Code of Conduct has been updated below.

Purpose

IASR is a scientific society whose objective is the promotion of high standards of research and scholarship in the field of sexual behavior by fostering communication among scholars engaged in such research. We recognize that we can only achieve this goal by fostering an environment where the sharing of science, intellectual debate, and professional ties is grounded in respect, diversity, inclusion, and equity. To ensure all participants have the opportunity to benefit from IASR events, IASR is committed to promoting environments that are respectful and safe. As such, IASR will not tolerate discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of gender identity or expression, sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, socioeconomic status, criminal record, veteran status, or their intersection.

Because IASR primarily promotes opportunities for networking and dissemination of research through its annual meeting, this Code of Conduct provides expectations for the professional conduct of and toward participants at IASR’s annual meeting and its related events. "Participants" refers to anyone present at IASR events or activities regardless of membership status, including speakers, vendors, venue staff, media representatives, exhibitors, sponsors, volunteers, and all other attendees. "Events or activities" include any aspect of the annual meeting or activities throughout the year (e.g., during programming, at IASR organized social events, workshops, the closing banquet, any online adaptations of these events, listserv communications, and other forums and trainings.)

In addition to general misconduct, the IASR Code of Conduct specifically addresses sexual harassment. As a sex research organization, we are sex-positive and not interested in policing consensual sexual interactions or discussions relevant to sex research. However, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or personal sexual information, or sexually-directed remarks constitute sexual harassment when (1) such conduct persists despite it being unwelcome, or (2) when made to a subordinate who might reasonably fear that their position would be jeopardized by communicating that the advances are unwelcome (examples include, but are not limited to, a graduate student, post-doc, or early career professor receiving unwanted advances from a more senior faculty member; the more senior individual is in a position of evaluation or supervision role). Sexual harassment is perpetrated and experienced across sexes, genders, gender expressions and professional roles. 

Expected Behavior

This Code of Conduct affirms the positive and constructive behaviors to which IASR aspires as a professional and scientific society. Such expected behavior includes but is not limited to:

• Professional and constructive communication, in-person and online; courtesy and civility in handling dissent or disagreement; respect when providing feedback; and openness to alternate points of view.

• Being proactive to help mitigate or avoid harassment or harm to other conference participants, including but not limited to alerting conference or security personnel if they witness a situation in which someone may be in imminent danger.

Prohibited Behavior

Prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to:

• Intimidating, harassing, lewd, demeaning, bullying, coercive, or threatening speech or actions.

• Persistent and unwelcome solicitation of emotional or physical intimacy, including but not limited to that which is accompanied by real or implied threat of professional harm.

• Persistent and unwelcome solicitation of personal sexual information or sexually-directed remarks unrelated to academic inquiry.

• Physical or sexual assault, including unwelcome touching or groping, or any real or implied threat of physical harm.

• Offering professional opportunities (e.g., a paper accepted in a journal, a grant being funded, promotion) in exchange for sexual acts.

• Retaliation against an individual for reporting harassment or prohibited conduct or for participating in an investigation of a claim of harassment or discrimination.

• Bringing alcohol into IASR-sponsored events that do not permit alcohol or consumption of alcohol by those not of legal age. If there is no legal age for consumption in the location of the IASR-sponsored event, the legal age shall be assumed to be 18.

• Bringing prohibited substances (based on the local laws) into any IASR-sponsored event.

• Forcing someone with whom you are in a more senior position of power to consume alcohol or illicit substances.

Reporting Prohibited Behavior

Policies alone cannot eliminate problematic conduct. Accordingly, this Code of Conduct includes an expectation that all participants proactively seek to establish a culture of respect in which everyone feels welcomed and valued at the annual meeting. To accomplish this, participants are asked to speak up and take action when these values are not adhered to, recognizing that power differences and hierarchies inherent to academia may inhibit many parties (including students and junior scholars) from feeling free to object to or report problematic behavior.

IASR encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation taking place at or in conjunction with an IASR program or activity, regardless of the offender's identity or position in the Academy. Individuals who believe they have been the victim of such conduct (or have observed such conduct) are urged to make their experience known via IASR’s misconduct reporting form. Individuals are additionally free to contact any member of the Executive Committee (including student representatives) to register a complaint. In the event that an individual feels that their physical safety is in jeopardy, IASR encourages the individual to contact the appropriate law enforcement agency to make a report. IASR strongly respects an individual's interest in confidentiality and will handle all reports with sensitivity, with information related to a report only disclosed on a need-to-know basis for the purposes of investigation. IASR will not retaliate or tolerate retaliation against anyone who makes a good faith report of discrimination, harassment, or bullying.

We encourage conference attendees to report any COC violations that occur at the conference during the conference, so the Executive Committee can respond to the situation immediately. Complaints should be made through the misconduct reporting mechanism and not through the conference feedback form.

IASR encourages its members to learn about how to effectively intervene when you are a bystander witnessing harassment. The IASR executive committee will share recommended educational materials with our members.

Consequences for Prohibited Behavior

Violation of this Code of Conduct is considered by IASR to be a serious form of professional misconduct. The consequences for violations will be determined by factors including, but not limited to, the immediacy of the threat to attendees, the severity and frequency of the violation, whether the individual has been found to have past violations at the same or previous IASR conferences, and the relative status of the individual (with those in position of authority and leadership held to the highest standards of behavior). Complaints of harassment will be directly reviewed by the Executive Board, who will determine any consequences. Agreement to this Code of Conduct constitutes acknowledgement that the possible disciplinary actions for its violation include but are not limited to a verbal warning, removal from an event without refund, restriction on attending future events, and removal from membership.

Bystander Intervention Resources

Brian Mustanski, IASR President from 2019-2020, identified the following resources that we recommend to improve your understanding of how to most effectively intervene in situations of possible sexual or other forms of harassment. We encourage all members to take the time to review these materials and welcome your suggestions of additional materials that may be useful to supply to IASR members.