How We Have Fulfilled Requests, Part 4 of 10
This post (4 of 10) is a portion of our larger report on “How We Have Fulfilled Requests of People Who Have Reported Harm.” Follow this link for an introduction to our terminology, how we facilitated and organized requests, and for a table of contents for each request.
Accountability Request 4:
Community accountability in supporting those reporting harm.
Contributors to our narrative collection process drew attention to the need to hold the broader sex education community responsible for supporting those harmed by Charlie’s behaviors and examining the social factors that enabled the harm. (This is also the frame we have held as a group and where the influence of transformative justice approaches is also visible: harm doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and people who harm are enabled by those around them!) Addressing this request, for us, included calling on the community to protect Harmed Individuals from blacklisting and ostracism and to stop giving Charlie a platform. The team hopes to educate the community through this Medium site and has also reached out to various organizations, clubs, and associations to share resources and information about accountability and community culture work that needs to happen. That said, it is clear we are limited in our own reach and abilities, as well as by the fact that this process is centered primarily on one man and his surrounding circles. For that reason, it is vital we all apply any learnings and insights from our process beyond this moment. Changing larger social structures, the beliefs behind them, and the behaviors that support them requires us all to do the long-term, whole-hearted work of addressing harm in our own lives and within our own various communities. We see our work with Charlie as a small part of that greater transformation work, and we hope lessons learned from our efforts (including criticism of our methods and approaches) will help contribute to a safer, healthier, more loving and just world.
Moving forward, Charlie has made a commitment to be mindful of the organizations and people he chooses to work and associate himself with. He has made a commitment to research and evaluate the values and ethics held, in writing and in practice, by organizations and individuals, particularly practices related to receiving and responding to grievances and reports of harm. As mentioned under Request 1, the team has also spoken extensively with Charlie about cataloging and reevaluating relationships with people in his life who may have demonstrated collusion, complicity, or enabling behaviors. We have also actively challenged his narratives when we saw him describing enabling as “support” or creating circles around him predominantly with people who would not challenge these issues directly. We have coached and advised him on how to have conversations with these people in his life, how to call them into accountability for the impact of these behaviors, and how to invite their support in preventing or interrupting future harm. That said, the responsibility for following through on those conversations past a certain point rests with Charlie and those individuals.
Follow this link to go to the Request 5: For Charlie to unlearn his abusive behaviors and beliefs and replace them with behaviors and beliefs that respect his partners, peers, and the community.
Follow this link for an introduction to our reporting on requests and a table of contents for each request.
