Safer Space Principles

Turvallisemman tilan periaatteet suomeksi täällä

If you experience or witness discrimination or harassment in our events or activities, you can report it using the form available here (opens in a new tab).

The form can also be submitted anonymously.

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At DSL and its study centre, we follow Safer Space Principles in all our events and activities. These principles help create a respectful, open, and engaging environment for learning and discussion, while safeguarding everyone’s right to participate and learn on an equal basis.

Treat others with respect

Harassment, racism, and discrimination of any kind are not permitted in our activities. We respect each other’s personal physical, psychological, and social boundaries. We do not mock, ridicule, belittle, exclude, or humiliate anyone through our words, behaviour, or actions. We refrain from commenting on people’s appearance, spreading gossip, reinforcing stereotypes, making discriminatory jokes, or engaging in sexually suggestive speech. We respect privacy and do not share confidential information or private communications without permission.

Respect everyone’s right to self-determination

We strive to recognise and challenge our own assumptions, and not allow them to guide our behaviour or conversations. Such assumptions may relate to a person’s sexuality, gender, nationality, language, ethnicity, religion, health, or ability. We pay attention to our choice of words and acknowledge the diversity of people and experiences.

Listen, learn and reflect on your actions

We approach every person, issue, and situation as an opportunity to learn and grow. We welcome feedback and seek to improve our actions based on it. If we have hurt someone, intentionally or unintentionally, we take responsibility and apologize.

Make space for others

We recognize our own role and position in different situations. We participate actively and help create opportunities for others to contribute as well. We aim to act for the benefit of the whole group rather than prioritizing only our own interests. We do not judge the value of contributions or people based on presentation style, fluency, or grammatical accuracy.

Respond to harassment and inappropriate behaviour

If we witness harassment or other inappropriate conduct, we address it in a way that feels safe and appropriate to us. By intervening, we also set a positive example for others. At our events, you can always contact DSL staff members or event facilitators if you need support or assistance.

Learn from mistakes – Be kind to yourself and others

Making mistakes and asking questions are a part of learning. No one is expected to know everything in advance. We may not always agree with one another, but we express and accept disagreements in a respectful manner.