Discrimination, vilification, and sexual harassment are unacceptable at Rosebud Soccer Club.

The Club is bound by the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic), the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth), the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic), and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) (the legislation). This policy is not in substitution of the legislation.

Racial and Religious Vilification:
No person in their capacity as a spectator or participant at the Club shall engage in conduct that offends, humiliates, intimidates, views with contempt, ridicules, incites, threatens, disparages, vilifies or insults another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin.

Discrimination
No person in their capacity as a spectator or participant at the Club shall engage in conduct that discriminates, directly or indirectly against another person. Discrimination is treating, or proposing to treat, someone unfavourably because of a personal characteristic protected by the law, such as sex, age, race or disability.

Discrimination can occur:
Directly, when a person or group is treated less favourably than another person or group in a similar situation because of a personal characteristic protected by law (see list below).

For example, the women’s senior team is denied equipment because the men’s team is deemed more important.
Indirectly, when an unreasonable requirement, condition or practice is imposed that has, or is likely to have, the effect of disadvantaging people with a personal characteristic protected by law (see list below)

For example, it could be indirect disability discrimination if the only way to enter a public building is by a set of stairs, because people who use wheelchairs would be unable to enter.

Protected personal characteristics under Federal discrimination law include:

• A disability, disease or injury, including work-related injury;
• Parental status or status as a carer, for example, because they are responsible for caring for children or other family members;
• Race, colour, descent, national origin, or ethnic background;
• • Age, whether young or old, or because of age in general;
• Sex;
• Religion;
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• Sexual orientation, intersex status or gender identity;
• Marital status, whether married, divorced, unmarried or in a de facto relationship or same sex relationship;
• Social origin;
• An association with someone who has, or is assumed to have, one of these characteristics, such as being the parent of a child with a disability.

It is also against the law to treat someone unfavourably because you assume they have a personal characteristic or may have it at some time in the future.

Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a specific and serious form of harassment. It is unwelcome sexual behaviour, which could be expected to make a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. Sexual harassment can be physical, spoken or written. It can include:

• Comments about a person’s private life or the way they look;
• Sexually suggestive behaviour, such as leering or staring;
• Brushing up against someone, touching, fondling or hugging;
• Sexually suggestive comments or jokes; • Displaying offensive screen savers, photos, calendars or objects;
• Repeated unwanted requests to go out;
• Requests for sex;
• Sexually explicit posts on social networking sites;
• Insults or taunts of a sexual nature;
• Intrusive questions or statements about a person’s private life;
• Sending sexually explicit emails or text messages;
• Inappropriate advances on social networking sites.

Just because someone does not object to inappropriate behaviour at the time, it does not mean that they are consenting to the behaviour.
A single incident is enough to constitute sexual harassment – it doesn’t have to be repeated.

All incidents of sexual harassment – no matter how large or small or who is involved – require a swift and appropriate response.
Rosebud Soccer Club recognises that comments and behaviour that do not offend one person can offend another. This policy requires all Rosebud Soccer Club committee members, volunteers, members, supporters, and guests to respect other people’s limits.

Victimisation
Victimisation is subjecting or threatening to subject someone to a detriment because they have asserted their rights to make a complaint, helped someone else make a complaint, or refused to do something because it would be discrimination, sexual harassment, or victimisation. Victimisation is against the law.

It is also victimisation to threaten someone (such as a witness) who may be involved in investigating an equal opportunity concern or complaint.
Victimisation is a very serious breach of this policy and is likely (depending on the severity and circumstances) to result in formal discipline against the perpetrator.

Rosebud Soccer Club has a zero-tolerance approach to victimisation. Any breaches of this policy may result in disciplinary action consistent with the Club Constitution.

Bullying
Bullying harms individuals and damages team spirit. Bullying is any form of verbal abuse, physical aggression or ‘humor’, which humiliates and/or ‘puts down’ another.

Individuals witnessing bullying or hearing about bullying must report it to their team manager and/or coach. The team manager/coach will be required to act in accordance with the protocol set out below.

The following protocols are designed to prevent bullying and, where it arises, allow it to be dealt with swiftly in order to minimise harm to the individual(s) and team morale.

Any person experiencing this or witnessing it or being told about it (e.g. a parent) has a duty to report it to the coach/manager. Reporting is everybody’s responsibility, not just the person(s) experiencing the bullying.

• The coach/manager will speak with the person who is bullying and draw their attention to the policy. They will be asked to apologise to the person(s) they bullied. They will also be warned that should any future incident of bullying occur further sanctions may apply.
• Where the behaviour persists and any further incident of bullying or harassment occurs (in whatever form), in addition to again apologising to the person(s) directly involved, the player concerned will be required to:
• publicly apologise to the team (for letting them down) at the next training session.
• and or miss at least one match.
• Where this fails to alter bullying behaviour the player will be suspended and subject to disciplinary action consistent with the Club Constitution.
• Equal opportunity policy
• Rosebud Soccer Club welcomes families, and children regardless of gender, sexuality, religion, physical appearance, and culture.
• Rosebud Soccer Club will provide the opportunities for patrons, families, and children to actively participate in and adhere with FFV constitution.

Family/individual privacy policy
Rosebud Soccer Club will maintain the information given by families as confidential and private. Each service will follow the guidelines set out in the information Privacy Act (1988).
Definition of Confidential and Private
It is vital that we protect the privacy of individuals and their families. This ensures the development of trust that sensitive and personal information does not become public.

• All information gathered must be stored in a locked cupboard.
• Must have consent from the family or individual to use the information
• All injury/incident/accident/trauma/illness reports must be filed.
• At no time must the information be taken off premises.
• Medical action plans must be available, however if space is a shared space ensure these are kept in allocated folders not on display.
• Players, parents, committee members private information such as phone number, address, and medical condition must not be given to externally unless permission is given in writing.

Tribunal policy- internal
If there is a tribunal hearing for inappropriate behaviour on and off the field it is the responsibility of the coach to inform senior committee members and to follow the FFV process. All aspects of the process are the coach’s responsibility to complete.

Parent voting policy
Rosebud Soccer Club pride themselves to be inclusive and to provide all families an opportunity to have a part in decision making for the best interest of the club. Parents are given a right to vote at AGM meeting. Required as stated below.
– 1 parent per paid player

Working with children check policy
To maintain an environment where children feel safe, and in which parents and guardians have confidence that the safety of children is assured. In particular, the Working with Children Check is to protect children at the club from all form of abuse.

• All persons working directly with children must hold a current and valid working with children check (WWCC)
• The Club secretary must keep an electronic record of the adult Working with Children Check card. Ensure all WWCC are in date and MUST report to committee any adult/s who do not have a valid WWCC registered with Rosebud Soccer Club