Awareness

2. Code of Conduct

How we interact with each other:

Our interaction is open and respectful. We address conflicts and try to solve them together. Constructive criticism is welcome.

We meet each other at eye level and attentively listen.

What we do not tolerate:

We do not tolerate any form of sexism, racism and discrimination, harassment, intimidation, hate speech or other forms of violence. This applies to all areas: classes, concerts, venues and all performance spaces.

Discrimination: This includes – but is not limited to – discrimination based on:

• Nationality, ethnic origin or language
• Legal status
• Gender or sexual orientation
• Religion or worldview
• Political opinion
• Physical appearance, disability, health condition or age
• Social background, family and educational status, financial or professional status

Harassment/Intimidation: This includes, among others:

• Stalking
• Inappropriate comments
• Unwanted touching
• Inappropriate photographing or filming
• Unwanted sexual advances

We do not tolerate verbal or physical violence – this includes staring and catcalling (i.e., sexually transgressive shouting, talking, whistling).

What happens when there’s a problem?

• You can contact the Awareness Team in person during the festival or call: +49 160 94 964 388. We are available from 9 AM to 11 PM.
• You can also send an e-mail at any time: awareness@darmstaedter-ferienkurse.de
• The Awareness Team will immediately take action in cases of harassment, aggression or intimidation. All reports are taken seriously and treated confidentially. The needs of the affected person(s) are central. We will only act with their consent, unless others are at risk.
• When we learn about or are informed of discriminatory or other illegal incidents, we will investigate them. In cases of violation, we reserve the right to impose sanctions within our legal possibilities.

What we hope to achieve:

We want a supportive and caring environment:

• Respect others’ boundaries. Important: The affected person decides what comprises a boundary violation. We believe without question in the experience of affected persons.
• We don’t question gender identity. Accept other people’s pronouns or avoid using gender-specific forms of address.
• No always means no, and only a clear yes means yes.
• Take care of yourself and others.
• We ally ourselves: don’t look away when someone needs help.
• If you don’t know how to handle a situation, ask the Awareness Team or a team member of the Darmstadt Summer Course for help.

We would also like to notify all participants and visitors of legal regulations – in both Germany and Darmstadt (Hesse) – that prohibit certain symbols and expressions and therefore also apply to our events. Please contact the Awareness Team if you are unsure or need more information.

3. Structures

The Darmstadt Summer Course takes place at numerous locations. In addition to the campus at the Lichtenbergschule and the Akademie für Tonkunst, there are many other venues and event locations throughout the city. For this reason, the Awareness Team cannot be present everywhere and at all times on site. In consequence, we have developed structures that should still ensure the most comprehensive support possible in cases of boundary violations.

Contact Options

The Awareness Team can be reached during the Darmstadt Summer Course from 9 AM to 11 PM at the awareness phone number, also via WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal:

+49 160 94 964 388

Outside these hours, a message can be left on the voicemail.

The Awareness Team is also reachable by e-mail – during, before and after the Summer Course: awareness@darmstaedter-ferienkurse.de

This e-mail address can be used not only for concrete incidents, but also for questions and other concerns about awareness.

Contact Persons

The Awareness Team provides support in cases of boundary violations on-site at the Lichtenbergschule campus, by phone and by e-mail. Team members can be recognized by the green ribbons around their necks. If further measures are necessary to clarify an incident, the festival management will be involved.

The Festival Team is available on-site, e.g. at the Info Desk, and can request support from the Awareness Team.

At the venues, the venue supervisors are the contact persons for awareness concerns.

Locations

Several members of the Awareness Team are present on the campus at Lichtenbergschule. Here, the Info Desk is the first point of contact for awareness concerns. There are separate rooms at Lichtenbergschule reserved for confidential conversations and as retreat spaces.

As we cannot provide an Awareness Team member to be continuously available at every location, contact persons at external venues can help with awareness concerns. Excluding the Lichtenbergschule, these are: Centralstation, Edith-Stein-Schule, Bessunger Knabenschule, Akademie für Tonkunst, Orangerie, Winkelbunker and Justus-Liebig-Haus. The Awareness Team can be contacted by telephone and e-mail from all other venues.

4. Support Services

Support Services in Darmstadt

pro familia Darmstadt
Emergency hotline and counseling for sexual violence
+49 6151 45511
Website

Wildwasser Darmstadt e.V.
Specialized counseling center against sexual violence for girls from 12 years old, women and supporting persons
+49 6151 28871 (Mon + Wed 11.00–13.00, Tue + Thu 15.00–17.00)
info@wildwasser-darmstadt.de
Website

Darmstädter Hilfe
Counseling for victims and witnesses of crimes
+49 6151 97 14 200 (Mon–Fri  9.00–12.00, Thu 14.00–17.00)
info@darmstaedter-hilfe.de
Website

response. Frankfurt
Counseling for those affected by right-wing and racist violence in Hesse
Reporting Center: https://hessenschauthin.de/
+49 69 348 770 530 (Wed 15.00–17.30, Fri 13.00–15.30)
kontakt@response-hessen.de
Website

OFEK Hessen
Contact point for affected individuals, their families and relatives, witnesses and institutions regarding anti-Semitic violence and discrimination
0800 006 08 49 (Mon–Wed 12.00–14.00, Thu 15.00–17.00)
hessen@ofek-beratung.de
Website

Beratungsstelle gewaltfreileben
Counseling for violence and discrimination due to a person’s gender and/or sexual identity, especially for women*, lesbians, trans*, non-binary and queer persons
+49 69 43 00 5233 (Mon–Thu 14.00–18.00)
beratung@broken-rainbow.de
Website

National Support Services

Helpline Violence Against Women
08000 116 016 (24/7)
Website

Languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Romanian, Polish, Russian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Chinese, Farsi/Dari, Arabic, German Sign Language and Simplified German Language

Helpline Violence Against Men
0800 123 990 0 (Mon–Thu 8.00–20.00, Fri 8.00–15.00)
Website

Weisser Ring
Victim hotline: 116 006 (7 days a week 7.00–22.00)
info@weisser-ring.de
Website

Anti-Discrimination Counseling Center
Counseling center search for various areas of discrimination:
https://fachstelle.antidiskriminierung.org/beratungsstellen

5. What to Do in an Awareness Case

Contacts:

Awareness Team: Lara, Helena, Martin, Lennard, Gerardo, Tammo
E-mail: awareness@darmstaedter-ferienkurse.de
Phone / Messenger: +49 160 94 964 388 (9 AM – 11 PM, voicemail outside these hours)

The Most Important Things First:

• Look after yourself! Assess the situation and don’t put yourself in danger.
• Only do what you feel comfortable with.
• Discuss your actions with the affected person.
• Don’t be or feel alone! You can ask the Awareness Team or another Darmstadt Summer Course team member for help at any time.

Step by Step:

1. Assess the situation: Do you feel safe?

• No: Ask for support on-site or leave the situation.
• Yes: Continue to 2.

2. Ask the Awareness Team for help: Is the Awareness Team reachable?

• Yes: Hand over the case to the Awareness Team.
• No: Continue to 3.

3. Ask the affected person if they need help.

• No: Respect their answer.
• Yes: Provide support yourself.

4. Close the incident:

• Ask if the person needs anything else.
• Provide the person with contact details for the Awareness Team.

5. Document the incident:

• What happened? What was reported to you?
• Where and when was it?
• What did you do? What helped? What didn’t?
• Who was involved? (The affected person remains anonymous!)
• What was missed or could have been avoided?

6. Providing Support in an Awareness Case

Basic Principles of Support Work

• We want to protect the affected person and restore their autonomy.
• We believe the affected person.
• The affected person determines when a boundary has been crossed.
• We centralise the needs of the affected person.
• We treat everything confidentially.
• We only act with the consent of the affected person.

When You Are Approached:

• Stay calm.
• Introduce yourself and ask the person how they wish to be addressed.
• Be friendly and listen actively.
• Encourage the person, e.g.: “It was exactly right to come to us.” / “Thank you for your trust.”
• Never judge the situation and the person(s).
• If needed, bring in the Awareness Team. But don’t leave the affected person alone.
• Make suggestions and ask what the person needs:

• “Would you like us to go to a quiet place?”
• “Would you like to speak with someone from the Awareness Team?”
• “Should I contact a friend who can support you?”
• “Would you like something to eat/drink?”
• “Would you like to tell me what happened?”
• “Would you like to discuss/clarify the incident with the other person?”
• “What do you need/want?”
• “How can I support you?”

• Take away feelings of guilt: “What happened is not your fault.”

Do’s

• You can always bring in the Awareness Team or other support.
• The needs and wishes of the affected person are paramount.
• Respect the boundaries and personal capacities of all involved.

Don’ts

• Avoid direct physical contact and maintain some distance.
• Don’t ask what was experienced.
• Don’t judge and don’t investigate.
• Never bring in others without the consent of the affected person.
• You are not the focus, your counterpart is.
• Your attention should also not focus on the person causing the problem.

When You Observe an Incident:

Bystander Interventions: The 5 D’s

• Distract
  Divert attention from the situation through an everyday action. Ask, for example, “Hanna is looking for you, can you come with me for a moment?”, or “Can you tell me where the toilets are?”. Important: Don’t address the situation itself. Afterwards, you can offer support.
• Delegate
  Involve the responsible authorities, e.g., Awareness Team or venue supervisors.
• Document
  Create a memory protocol of the situation and give it to the affected person.
• Delay
  Even after an incident, you can ask the affected person if they need support and, for example, if they would like to speak with the Awareness Team.
• Direct
  Your own safety must always be ensured in a direct intervention. Also, be careful not to override or bypass the affected person.