by Bill Magargal
Fortunately, it is extremely rare for Servas travelers or hosts to encounter a situation where they feel unsafe or that they believe is counter to Servas ethics. However, members should know that there is indeed a process in place for reporting and resolving serious complaints if they should arise. The small team that handles them works quietly and discreetly to gather information from all parties involved in a situation to help resolve the issue. Sometimes the problem is simply a misunderstanding that is easily handled by clarifying the issue with the parties involved. In severe cases the complaints committee may decide that a member must be removed from US Servas and prevented from rejoining in the future.
If you ever encounter a serious problem with a Servas traveler or host, be sure to report it to Complaints@usservas.org. All communications with the complaints committee are kept confidential, even to board members, so never fear public embarrassment. Keep in mind that complaints should be significant in nature, not annoyances like cat hair on your bed, or you didn't like the food.
