On February 4, Time Magazine published a piece on sexual harassment in the broader EA community and its failures to respond to it.
Effective Altruism DC (EA DC) is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and inclusive community for all of its members. We do not tolerate any behaviors that contribute to others feeling uncomfortable or unsafe, including but not limited to: harassment, the use of derogatory terms or hate speech, assault, or unwanted contact (verbal, physical, or otherwise). EA DC will respond swiftly and take decisive, proportionate action in support of the injured person or persons.
If you are made to feel uncomfortable or are otherwise harmed at an EA DC event or by a member of the community, you do not need to go through this alone!
Reporting:
- If you are unsure if your experience warrants intervention, we encourage you to err on the side of disclosing.
- All complaints made to EA DC organizers will be kept confidential by default.
- If you would like to report the incident, you are in control and have options:
- You can contact the Directors of EA DC: Kyle Lucchese and/or Andy Masley. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can set up a call with one or both of them to discuss your concern. All complaints will be kept confidential by default.
- You can also contact Megan Nelson. Megan is the Community Health Coordinator for EA NYC, and she is available if you would like to confidentially discuss your concerns about the EA DC community.
- If you prefer to remain anonymous you can fill in our anonymous feedback form and any information you share will be read by the EA DC directors. Please be aware that because this is an anonymous form, we won’t be able to respond personally to these submissions.
- You can also contact the Community Health team at the Centre for Effective Altruism by using this form.
Support:
If you need support – whether around a specific incident or just to cope with difficult feelings or challenges in your life – please know that help is available. We have included some resources below that may be useful to you.
Throughout the USA:
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 is the new three-digit code that will route all US calls to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a 24/7 staffed helpline that you can use to connect with trained counselors for support and local resources. You can call or text 988.
- RAINN (National Sexual Assault Helpline): Call 800-656-4673 to speak with a trained RAINN staff member for confidential crisis support. This is also a 24/7 staffed helpline. You can also visit https://hotline.rainn.org/online to chat live with a RAINN staff member.
- The Trevor Project: Especially for LGBTQ+ young people between 18 – 24. If you are thinking about harming yourself — get immediate support. Connect to a crisis counselor 24/7, 365 days a year, from anywhere in the U.S. It is 100% confidential, and 100% free. You can chat with counselors online, call them at 866-488-7386, or text them at 678678. For more information and support, visit The Trevor Project website.
In Washington DC:
- Access HelpLine: Call 1(888)7WE-HELP or 1-888-793-4357 for local, 24/7 support. A trained staff member can listen, provide support, and help you find out more about local services and supports.
- DC Victim Hotline: Call or text 1-884-4HELPDC (443-5732) or chat with a counselor online. The DC Victim Hotline provides free, confidential, around-the-clock information, support, and referrals for victims of ALL CRIME in the District of Columbia. Victim Assistance Specialists are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information on the services provided by the DC Victim Hotline, please visit their website.