Responses to Staff Sexual Misconduct: Punitive, Restorative, and Advocacy Approaches

When sexual harassment or assault occurs in our communities, camp leadership holds two distinct, and sometimes conflicting, responsibilities: supporting the staff member who was harmed and maintaining community safety going forward. Teaching camp directors how to use trauma-informed approaches that empower and center the needs of staff who experience harm, while also fulfilling their leadership responsibilities, is essential. As a camp consultant who has helped camp leadership teams through many challenging processes around sexual assault, Elissa Asch will share various best-practice approaches to supporting survivors, repairing harm, and moving forward as a community.