APPEAL AND ANTI-HARASSMENT COMMITTEE

The EAA is committed to monitoring, preventing and addressing any form of discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying or intimidation in an EAA context through the Statutory Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee. The Statutory Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee consists of at least six Full EAA Members appointed by the Nomination Committee for terms of 3 years, renewable without limit (Statutes § VIII/3).

The EAA urges member and non-member archaeologists to report any discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation to which they may have been subjected at an EAA Annual Meeting or in any other EAA-related context, or which they witnessed or are aware of, to the EAA Statutory Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee as well as to their home institution or organisation and relevant independent bodies.

1. Reports of discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation at EAA Annual Meetings or within an EAA context:
1. Contact the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee either in person or by email to antiharassment@e-a-a.org. Provide details about the discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying or intimidation you have been subjected to, or which you witnessed or are aware of. The details describing the incident should be submitted in English. If available, it is recommended to submit supporting documents (e.g. emails, photographs, court or third-party decisions on a case) which can be in the original language. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee will treat the identity of the persons involved in the case as well as the supporting documents confidentially. More information about the confidentiality procedure will be added soon.
2. If the case or current circumstances are immediate (e.g., both the person making the complaint and the alleged offender attend an EAA Annual Meeting), you can request an escort by a fellow EAA Member who will ensure that the EAA Safe Space Policy is observed. Please email antiharassment@e-a-a.org or visit the EAA desk.
3. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee selects three of its members to consider each case, having first identified any potential conflicts of interest. The selection will depend on availability and follow rotational principle.
4. The three selected members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee propose and implement appropriate measures to deal with each case. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee shall aim to render a decision within 30 days of a charge receipt but will take immediate necessary measures, in line with the relevant legal framework, to prevent any further contact between the alleged offender(s) and the person(s) making the complaint and/or the witness(es) to the incident at the Annual Meeting or in other EAA contexts. These measures should be put in place pending further investigation of the claim.
5. If the measures proposed by the three selected members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee include the perpetrator’s removal from or suspension of membership, the Executive Board considers the proposal and decides whether to implement the recommended sanction.
6. If the Executive Board removes the perpetrator from Membership or suspends their membership, the Member removed or suspended from membership may appeal to the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, who will designate the three members not involved in the initial appeal as per points 1 – 3 above to hear the case.
7. The decision of the second set of three members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee (confirming or rejecting the decision of the Executive Board, as per point 5 above) is final.
8. If the Member in question, or indeed the Executive Board, do not accept the decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, they can appeal to the Czech legal system.
2. Charges against the EAA Executive Board or its member:
1. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee receives a charge against the Executive Board or one of its members.
2. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee selects three of its members by lot to consider each case, having first identified any potential conflicts of interest.
3. The three selected members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee render a decision on the case.
4. If the EAA Member who initiated the complaint, the Executive Board or the Executive Board member against whom the complaint was lodged do not accept the decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, they can appeal to the three members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee not involved in the initial review of the case, as per points 1 – 3.
5. The decision of the three selected members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee (confirming or reverting the decision of the other three members of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, as per point 3 above) is final.
6. If the EAA Member in question, the Executive Board or the Executive Board member against whom the complaint was lodged do not accept the decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, they can appeal to the Czech legal system.
3. Reports of formally verified cases of discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation by EAA Members or others occurring in non-EAA contexts:
1. Contact the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee either in person or by email to antiharassment@e-a-a.org. Provide details about the formally verified cases of discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying or intimidation. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee shall aim to render a decision within 30 days of a charge receipt.
2. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee proposes and implements necessary measures to ensure the safety of EAA Members at the Annual Meeting(s) with regard to verified cases of discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation involving EAA Members or other cases occurring in non-EAA contexts.
4. Appeals against rejection of a candidate in the EAA election (EAA Statutes § VII/4):
1. The Nomination Committee ensures that Executive Board candidates comply with the regulations of the Association.
2. The Nomination Committee rejects candidates who do not comply with the regulations of the Association.
3. The Nomination Committee delivers written reasons for its decisions to the Secretariat, at least 120 days before the Annual Membership Business Meeting.
4. The EAA Secretariat informs the Executive Board and the candidates.
5. Rejected candidates can appeal to the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee.
6. The EAA Secretariat together with the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee enquires about any conflict of interest and then selects three of its members to consider each case. The selection will depend on availability and follow rotational principle.
7. The decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee is final.
8. If a rejected candidate does not accept the decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, they can appeal to the Czech legal system.
5. Appeals against removal from or suspension of EAA membership (EAA Statutes § VIII/3):
1. The Executive Board may remove a Member from Membership or suspend their membership (see point A where the reason relates to discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying or intimidation).
2. The Member removed or suspended from membership appeals to the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee.
3. The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee enquires about any conflict of interest and then selects three of its members to consider each case.
4. The decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee (confirming or rejecting the decision of the Executive Board) is final.
5. If the Member in question, or indeed the Executive Board, do not accept the decision of the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee, they can appeal to the Czech legal system.

The Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee will provide, at regular intervals (every two years), an overview of trends in discrimination, harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation in archaeology, with the objective of raising awareness, deterring potential perpetrators from engaging in offensive behaviour and advising on best practices.

Please read the Appeal and Anti-Harassment Committee Report on harassment, assault, bullying and intimidation in archaeology in the last 15 years (2009–August 2024), prepared by Laura Coltofean and Bettina Arnold