Introduction and overview of our awareness Concept
0. Awareness means consideration and sensitivity in interactions between people. We believe it to be a concept that challenges existing power structures. In this context, we reflect our own personal boundaries and those of others, and use Awareness as a position/stance when dealing with boundaries that have been crossed and discrimination. We believe that Awareness (Footnote 1) must be critical towards domination rather than a purely conflict-focused concept in order for our political work to be successful.
1. The Awareness-AG (AG: Arbeitsgruppe, German for “working group”) is an open structure, that people are always free to join. The Awareness-Persons must handle cases with secrecy: this means they may only give information to third parties if this has been agreed on with the person concerned (unless this would put themselves or others in danger).
1.1 It is possible that people may be excluded from working with the Awareness-AG, if there are concerns.
1.2 The Awareness-AG can be contacted by telephone (xxx) or email (awareness-kats@immerda.ch). We will try to answer as quickly as we can.
1.3 The members of the Awareness-AG will be visibly recognisable in the house and at events.
2. Our goal is that people can feel comfortable at this location: feel free to come to us, if this is not the case.
3. We would like to support people, who experience or witness invasive or discriminatory behaviour or whose boundaries have been crossed. This could, although doesn’t have to, follow discrimination patterns such as ableism, antisemitism, the discrimination of Sinti and Romani people, classism, queerphobia, racism, the discrimination of people with mental illnesses, sexism and transphobia.
4. We believe that Awareness should be an attitude and a starting point for taking action, as opposed to being only a support offer in intrusive situations. This means that we want to spread this concept, as it is relevant in every encounter between people. In the house, we would like to take collective responsibility in learning and establishing a culture of Awareness.
4.1 In line with out self-image within the house, we believe we are in an ongoing process of reflection and unlearning of power structures. This also includes the prevention of possible invasive and discriminatory situations (see the paragraph preventions).
Survivor (Footnote 2) -centred approach
5. We work with the power of definition. This means: people can always determine themselves, what they experience as invasive or discriminatory. The Awareness-AG does not question the perception of the survivor!
6. We work with a survivor-centred approach. This means: first we offer the survivor emotional support in dealing with the invasive situation. Then we ask what further action the survivor would like to take. This could, for example, mean going into dialogue with the intrusive person or communicating certain points of criticism or wishes towards the person through the Awareness-AG. The Awareness-AG’s work can include the following aspects:
6.1 The survivors are actively listened to and believed. The Awareness-AG shows solidarity and conveys the survivors, that their perception is relevant and is taken seriously.
6.2 The Awareness-AG inquired about the needs of the survivors and tried to accommodate these.
6.3 The goal is the self-empowerment or empowerment of the survivor. This means that the survivor feels capable of action and can make decisions themselves.
6.4 If desired, professional psychological or other helplines can be contacted.
6.5. The Awareness-AG does not work together with the police.
6.6 As part of the collective carrying of responsibility (and transformative justice), the Awareness-AG can initiate the creation of groups within the house. That could, for example, be a mediation group, a group that supports the survivor and a group that deals/reflects with the person who exerted violence.
Power to act
7. We do not work with the power to sanction for survivors. This means: we don’t follow through on all wishes/demands of the survivor, however we place value on acknowledging them. We believe that we, as the Awareness-AG, are in a mediating position, that means we consider different possibilities in dealing with the situation. We discuss which possibilities for action and consequences make sense together with the victim.
8. The power to act when handling the situation lies with the Awareness-AG. The house meeting will, in an anonymous way, be informed that an Awareness process has been started. In the following situations, the power to act will not solely lie by the Awareness-AG:
8.1 If specific, and in this case relevant, perspectives are not represented in the Awareness- AG, external people with these perspectives or positions can be included if this is desired by the survivor or the Awareness-AG.
8.2 If desired by the survivor, decisions on what actions to take can be made in the house meeting.
8.3 Long-term exclusions must be decided on in the house meeting
9. Gernerally, we discuss Awareness processed and cases of exclusion in an anonymous format. We hope all those involved will handle discussed information carefully. The anonymity will only be lifted if this is desired by the survivor.
Exclusions
10. Situations could occur, in which exclusions cannot be prevented: either the survivors are unintentionally excluded if the house does not take collective responsibility and they can no longer feel safe and comfortable. Or the house meeting decides to actively exclude the perpetrator, if no other solution can be found (see point 11). It thereby uses the power to act to prevent further violence and to allow the survivor to carry on being in the house.
10.1 There are different exclusion scenarios, that different groups of people can decide on.
10.1.1 When dealing with intrusive behaviour at an event in the house, the Awareness-AG
people who are currently there will, with the agreement of the survivor and the organisers of the event, decide on the exclusion of the perpetrator from the event.
10.1.2 When dealing with long-term exclusions of perpetrators from the house, this will be decided by a consensus process without said person. This can be moderated by a mediating person or group.
10.2 In the case of an exclusion, the Awareness-AG will position itself supportive of the survivors and listen to their wishes and demands, this means it will be partial (in support of the survivors).
10.2.1 The Awareness-AG will make an effort to handle entwined forms of discrimination with care.
10.3 The Awareness-AG requests that exclusions are an option, however sees them as the very last possibility. This means a decision will not be made thoughtlessly, instead it will be the result of work done beforehand. This work must take place in dialogue and reflection with all people involved.
The Awareness-AG is aware of the fact that an exclusion is a drastic measure, for example for people who identify with this place. An exclusion should therefore always be carefully thought through and all other options must be considered.
This approach, however, requires trust from those present towards the Awareness-AG and that the actions are not questioned as a matter of principle.11. There are different reasons behind why an exclusion should be discussed. (For the question of who discusses and decides in concrete cases, see point 10.1).
11.1 The exclusion is based on the survivor’s concrete need for safety (and was not suggested by the Awareness-AG in order to take initiative).
11.2 In agreement with the survivors, the Awareness-AG believes it is necessary to discuss an exclusion. In this process it is especially important to pay attention to the safety requirements of the survivors and to guarantee their safety. This occurs when the point 11.2.1 AND at least one of the points 11.2.2-11.2.6 apply:
11.2.1 The perpetrator has acted or expressed themselves in a way that is discriminatory or crosses personal boundaries. This could, although doesn’t have to, follow discrimination patterns such as ableism, antisemitism, the discrimination of Sinti and Romani people, classism, queerphobia, racism, the discrimination of people with mental illnesses, sexism and transphobia.
11.2.2 The perpetrator is not willing to reflect on the event in a transparent process.
11.2.3 The perpetrator is not willing to reflect on their personal privileges.
11.2.4 The perpetrator is not willing to take responsibility for the intrusive behaviour.
11.2.5 The perpetrator does not abide by an agreement or once again behaves in an intrusive way.
11.2.6 The survivor does not feel adequately safe or supported.
12. The Awareness-AG informs the survivor if and how an exclusion can take place.
12.1 The implementation of an exclusion does not lie with the Awareness-AG but is taken
care of by the safety structures and through collective responsibility.
Prevention
13. In the house there is an Awareness letterbox: in this way one can communicate “quiet post” to the Awareness-AG or “loud post” to the house plenary.
14. Regular Awareness rounds: here we discuss our general well-being in the house. Questions that can be used to share and discuss this could be “what makes you feel comfortable / what makes you feel uncomfortable” or other specific topics. Before the exchange in the big round we will form smaller groups (such as affinity groups, FLINTA (Footnote 3) group, BIPoC group, disability group, queer group and so on), in order to be able to talk about things in a more protected framework and, if necessary, bring information into the big round in a more anonymous way.
15. Safer Spaces: when marginalised people require a safer space, the Awareness-AG will, if requested, support its implementation. Because of the personal impacts of discrimination within our group and the discriminatory history of the house there will be safer spaces for BIPoC and FLINTA* folks from the beginning onwards.
15.1 In the above mentioned spaces one could, for example, have weekly meetings for empowerment and demands for the house plenary.
15.2 If you require a specific Safer Space, feel free to contact the Awareness-AG.
16. A Check-Your-Privilege list will be hung up. Those affected by discrimination can anonymously write down requests and concerns for the house plenary. Before the plenaries, the Check-Your-Privilege list will be read out loud and the participants of the plenary will in this way be encouraged to handle their own privileges critically and the take the concrete requirements of those affected by discrimination seriously.
17. The Awareness-AG creates a possibility for those affected by discrimination to talk with others who go through similar experiences of discrimination because of the same structures of violence. If the survivors express this wish when contacting the Awareness-AG, a suitable person (for example also a BIPoC or FLINTA person) will come forward and directly support the survivors, or the Awareness-AG will put the survivor in touch with a person who is affected by similar discrimination.
18. Informational events to specific topics take place regularly in order to strengthen the Awareness within the house. The topics are different forms of discrimination, but also topics that are generally relevant for collectively lived lives (such as sexual consent).
19. Affinity groups provide the possibility to easily talk to trusted people about personal well- being within the house. The creation of affinity groups is important in allowing problems in the house to become visible quickly. New people will be given the possibility of creating an affinity group request through the affinity exchange in order to see which affinity groups are currently open to accepting new people.
Conclusion: collective taking of responsibility
We are happy about everyone who wants to do Awareness shifts with us – or who want to work with us in the AG in some other way. You’re also welcome to contact the Awareness-AG with critique concerning the structures or processes in the house!
Let’s also not outsource responsibility onto the Awareness-AG and instead carry it as the whole collective; let’s be regardful, open for critique and good with each other! 🙂
Footnotes:
1: You can find more information on Awareness here https://a-team.blog/was-ist-awareness/ (German only) and here https://awarenetz.ch/ (English material under “Material”)
2: Note from the translator: The word used here in the German (original) text, “Betroffene” translates directly to “affected people”. For lack of a directly translatable word, I have decided to use the word “survivor”, as the word “victim” implies a helpless and pitiful situation that often does not correspond to the experienced reality of said person. The word “survivor” is often used in the context of sexual assault and domestic violence, and I would like to broaden its use and apply it to all forms of discrimination and assault, since the central idea of Awareness lies in empowering survivors with a sense of agency.
3: This is a German acronym for women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender folks