Policy on Sexual Misconduct
At its Annual Sessions in June 2024, OVYM approved the following policy on recognizing, preventing, and responding to sexual misconduct at OVYM events. This webpage reflects the evolving work by OVYM to implement this policy. The section of the policy setting forth procedures for responding to reports of sexual violence or other violations of personal boundaries has been replaced by a revised and expanded set of response procedures developed under the care of our Religious Nurture and Education Committee in 2025. As called for in our 2024 Annual Sessions (minutes 39 and 62), OVYM held a workshop in November 2025 to educate us in the realities of sexual violence in communities of faith (including ours) and to recommend approaches to prevent and respond to them. This training, conducted by Into Account in November 2025, included 21 participants from OVYM. The policy and response procedures are under review in response to what we have learned from Into Account.
Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting Agreement to Respect Personal Boundaries
I support Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting Friends’ commitment to maintaining a community of respect and safety. At Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting activities, I agree to treat all present with sensitivity to personal differences regarding physical and sexual boundaries. In my interactions with others, I agree to refrain from the following:
- uninvited touching of others;
- isolating of others from a group, indoors or outdoors;
- stalking of others;
- directing uninvited attention, comments, or prolonged staring at others’ bodies or aspects of physical appearance;
- sexually explicit or suggestive comments to or about others with whom I am not already in an intimate relationship;
- unauthorized participation in activities organized explicitly for Friends of specific age groups to which I do not belong.
Furthermore, I will accept support and advice from members of Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting Religious Nurture and Education Committee, the Clerk of Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, and/or the Assistant Clerk of Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting in complying with this agreement.
(Approved by OVYM Executive Committee 2025-04-05; affirmed in Minute 57, 2025 Annual Sessions; online publication approved by OVYM Executive Committee 2025-08-23)
