top of page

Doula Portal Community Standards

Creating a community for the birthworkers, families, and stakeholders that make up the central mass of Chicago Volunteer Doulas is an important undertaking. In creating this community, we hope to provide a space where we can all contribute to conversations, start thought-provoking topics, and access valuable resources all in one location. 

 

We want everyone to feel welcome here. Whether you’re a social media master or a casual internet lurker, we want this to be the place we can all come to for Reproductive and Birth Justice and other relevant information that matters.

 

To help ensure safety, fairness, and transparency are top priorities, we’ve compiled these guidelines to keep this space safe, accessible, and inviting to all. How we behave here should codify our mission, vision, and values statements.

Doula Portal Posting Guidelines

  1. Stick to the topic when responding to posts created by others.

  2. When creating your own post in the form of a topic, please choose the appropriate forum and give it a clear and concise title.

  3. Before creating a new topic, or asking a new question, consider using the Search function to see whether it has already been addressed. If it has, post your new topic only if the previous thread has already been closed. Note that if you believe that your topic is related to an existing one but with significant differences, feel free to create a new topic (but make sure to address the difference).

  4. Although this isn’t an academic forum – when citing or referring to an external source for vital information that others might want to share with clients, family, or friends, be sure to provide a link or complete reference to that source in order for others to access it.

  5. Portions of our portal are public, so please do not post Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or HIPPA-protected data. Posting PII of anyone else is a major violation of the Rules of Conduct for this portal and will result in the deletion of the topic/reply and a single warning; a second violation will result in a permanent ban from the Portal and possible further action.

Please read the rules carefully before posting

Rules on Appropriate Behavior

  1. Be respectful towards other portal members.

  2. Don’t be inconsiderate, disrespectful, offensive, abusive, or cause harassment to any other portal users. This includes using language or images that are discriminatory in nature. Violators will face a permanent ban and other possible actions.

  3. Understand that our Doulas and families come from a wide array of backgrounds. Ask for and use proper pronouns as requested by individual Portal users.

  4. Do not post content that is Not Safe for Work. This includes hyper-sexual, hateful, racist, agist, homophobic, sexist, provocative, or vulgar content. If the content you are posting contains nudity, i.e., during a birth, please label the content NSFW.

  5. External sources should always be used with proper references that can be accessed and verified. Many of our Doulas and families will come to our portal to share information. It is up to each of us to ensure we are distributing valid information and valuable resources.

  6. In relation to any citations that may be journal-based, open-access links are always preferred. Pay-walled links are acceptable, but portal users should note that sharing information under that circumstance is solely up to the user.

  7. Do not reveal anyone’s identity by posting their personal information (or connecting personal information posted in separate places in a manner that reveals the person’s identity). Violators will be subject to a ban and may face further consequences.

Consequences of Breaking the Rules

Breaking the rules of appropriate behavior will have the following consequences:

* Minor infractions will get a warning; unless the post is edited to comply with the rules within 24 hours of the warning, it will be deleted.

* Repeated minor infractions will result in a temporary ban or, at the discretion of the CVD Comms Staff, a permanent ban.

* Major infractions, such as posting personal information or behavior deemed completely unacceptable by Portal Moderators, will get a temporary ban; or, at the discretion of the CVD Comms Staff, a permanent ban.

Rights of Portal Moderators

Considering the nature of CVDs focus – it is only appropriate for moderators to have the ability to make sure that topics are relevant to Reproductive and Birth Justice, Pre-Postpartum/Labor Support work, and related topics. Portal Moderators will also help ensure that all rules are being followed. To this end, Portal Moderators can, at their own discretion:

  • Close topics or posts.

  • Edit topics or replies (but only by clearly displaying their edits).

  • Move topics or replies to the appropriate topic/forum, if necessary; and

  • Delete topics or replies.

  • Petition for the removal of rulebreakers with valid screenshots and supporting information.

bottom of page