Mentorship Safety and Warning Signs

A mentoring relationship/environment should be safe, harassment-free, positive, and helpful.

But unfortunately, that may not always be the case. Below are things to be vigilant about. It is not an exhaustive list.

In general, please use your judgement and seek help.

Staying safe for mentors and mentees

A mentoring relationship should be safe and harassment-free for everyone, regardless of age, body size, disability, ethnicity, sex characteristics, gender identity and expression, level of experience, education, socioeconomic status, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation.

No pressuring or forcing someone into doing things they do not want to do.

No predatory, exploitive, and demeaning behavior.

No use of sexualized language or imagery and unwelcome sexual attention or advances.

No trolling, insulting/derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks.

No public or private harassment.

No publishing/sharing others' private information.

No doing things that would be considered inappropriate in any profession setting or in any kind of relationship.

The list continues.

Please seek help if you see or experience any of this.