Our Community Guidelines are designed to ensure our community stays protected. They set out what is allowed and what is not allowed on VSH, and apply to all types of content on our online platform. The safety of our users is our highest priority. We look to each of you to help us protect this unique and vibrant community.
In general, users are expected to be active members within the VSH community that respect the following guidelines.
Respect Honesty and Transparency.
You are expected to use your actual name, including when posting comments or participating in discussions. You may not represent yourself as another person, or imply any connection with any person or organisation with which you are not in fact associated. Do not post misleading or deceptive information about yourself, your business, your qualifications, work experience, affiliations, or achievements. Do not use an image of someone else, or any other image that is not your likeness, for your profile photo.
Please refrain from sharing false or misleading content. Do not share content in a way that you know is, or think may be, misleading or inaccurate, including misinformation or disinformation. Do not share false content or information, including news stories, that present untrue facts or events as though they are true or likely true.
You are responsible for the content you post. This includes information, text, photos, messages and the like. If you did not create the content that you post, it is your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary consent.
Respect Peacefulness.
You are expected to express and act delicately and sensitively. Violent content intended to shock or disgust users, or content inciting violence are not allowed on VSH.
If you believe anyone is in imminent danger, please report the situation immediately.
Respect Diversity.
It is an ethnically rich and diverse, multi-cultural world in which we live. The VSE Hub is committed to supporting diversity. Diversity entails acceptance and respect of individual differences.
Use no language that is—or that could be construed to be—offensive toward others. Racist, sexist, and heterosexist comments and jokes are deemed unacceptable.
Hate speech is not allowed on VSH, in particular content promoting violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on any of the following attributes: Victims of a violent event and their kin, Age, Disability, Ethnicity, Sex/Gender, Gender Identity and Expression, Sexual Orientation, Nationality, Religion, Race, Immigration Status.
Additionally, content promoting or glorifying terrorism and content contributing to radicalisation are against our policy.
Respect for other members of the community and their privacy.
Every member of this community is valued and appreciated. We do not allow bullying or harassment. This includes abusive language, revealing others’ personal or sensitive information (aka “doxing”), or inciting or engaging others to do any of the same.
Confidential information is information that has not been publicly disclosed. Any disclosure, either intentionally or in error, of confidential information, pertaining to organisations or individuals, could result in considerable damage and is therefore forbidden. You are not allowed to disclose, publish or otherwise make available, any confidential information, even when expressly authorised by the person/organisation.
Criticism must be constructive, well-meaning, and well-articulated.
Users should not speak about member organisations’ internal matters or about staff. It is further not permitted to encourage rumours that could damage the reputation of individuals or member organisations.
The VSE Hub is intended to be a respectful environment.
Respect the virtual space and virtual property.
Do not use the VSE Hub to spam other users, including sending identical and irrelevant submissions to many different discussion groups, mailing lists or communities.
You are not permitted to intentionally upload, post or submit anything that contains viruses or cancel bots, Trojan horses, harmful code, or other computer software programs designed to interrupt the VSE Hub and/or any user’s participation on this Hub.
Victim Support Europe is keen to protect its intellectual property and to respect the intellectual property rights of Hub users. By engaging in VSE Hub activities, users generate valuable ideas, concepts, models, theories and strategies. This intellectual property plays a central part in their work and must be protected against misuse.
Intellectual property can take many forms, such as the name, logo (trademarks), copyrights, domain names, concepts, tools, ideas, information, surveys, data, formats, methodologies, “know how”, processes, designs, operating procedures, strategies, IT developments.
Respect for mental health and well-being.
At VSE Hub, we take the health and well-being of all our users seriously. Awareness and understanding of mental health are important. We support users sharing their stories, such as posting content discussing their experiences with depression or other mental health issues. Users should not be afraid to speak openly about the topics of mental health or self-harm. However, we do not allow content on VSE Hub that promotes suicide, self-harm, or is intended to shock or disgust users.
If you are depressed, having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please know that you can reach out for help and you are not alone. Many people turn to suicidal thinking and self-harm as ways to cope with painful emotions. Talking to a specialist can help you identify healthy, effective coping strategies and develop skills to manage difficult feelings.
The websites www.befrienders.org and suicide.org have extensive lists of suicide prevention organisations dedicated to helping those in need in different countries.
If you come across content in which someone expresses suicidal thoughts or is engaging in self-harm, please contact local emergency services for help and bring this matter to our immediate attention.
