IMF Resistance Network Consent Guidelines: No Perpetrators Welcome

IMF Resistance Network Consent Guidelines: No Perpetrators Welcome

Perpetrators of sexual violence/assault/harassment are not welcome in DC or any IMF
protest organizational spaces. People who violate consent guidelines will be
directed to leave IMF Resistance Network organizational spaces and housing
arrangements. Survivors’ participation is a priority of the IMF Resistance Network.
If at any point in time you feel your consent has been violated or the presence of a
perpetrator is preventing your full and active participation in this demo, the IMF
Resistance Network encourages you to seek support.

IMF Resistance Network Sexual Consent GuidelinesPerpetrators of sexual
violence/assault/harassment are not welcome in DC or any IMF protest organizational
spaces. People who violate consent guidelines will be directed to leave IMF
Resistance Network organizational spaces and housing arrangements. Survivors’
participation is a priority of the IMF Resistance Network. If at any point in time
you feel your consent has been violated or the presence of a perpetrator is
preventing your full and active participation in this demo, the IMF Resistance
Network encourages you to seek support. We invite you to contact the mental health
support team, based in the medic clinic at the convergence space, or through
e-mailing medics[at]imfresistance[dot]org.
IMF Resistance Network Sexual Consent Guidelines:
No Perpetrators Welcome!
Perpetrators of Sexual Assault, Abuse, and Harassment Are Not Welcome in IMF
Resistance Spaces
Perpetrators of sexual violence/assault/harassment are not welcome in DC or any IMF
protest organizational spaces. This includes people who have perpetrated in the past
(see below), people running away from accountability processes, and people who
refuse to respect the IMF Resistance Network consent guidelines. People who have
successfully undergone or are currently and actively engaging in an accountability
process at the time of an action are welcome, at the clear ok of the individual
people and community involved. Props for workin on your shit.
People who violate consent guidelines will be directed to leave IMF Resistance
Network organizational spaces and housing arrangements. Given the short time frame,
lack of people and resources, and likelihood of state repression, we don’t have the
ability to deal with these situations in this temporary, constructed community. We
are survivor centric and survivor oriented. When a decision needs to be made to give
“benefit of the doubt” to a perpetrator or support to a survivor, the preference
will be to support the survivor.
Survivors’ participation is a priority of the IMF Resistance Network. A
perpetrator’s presence should not hinder this. (Perpetrators: You are not welcome
regardless of a survivor's plans). We are resisting the IMF in large part because
the IMF acts WITHOUT accountability to or consent of the people it fucks over. We
refuse to replicate the same paradigm of domination and abuse.
SURVIVORS: If at any point in time you feel your consent has been violated or the
presence of a perpetrator is preventing your full and active participation in this
demo, the IMF Resistance Network encourages you to seek support. We invite you to
contact the mental health support team, based in the medic clinic at the convergence
space, or through e-mailing medics[at]imfresistance[dot]org. A list of resources we
can offer will be made available soon.
Further resources on accountability:
· http://cara-seattle.blogspot.com/
· http://www.anarchapistemology.net/archives/15
·
http://zinelibrary.info/world-without-sexual-assault-community-response-sexual-assault

·
http://zinelibrary.info/dealing-our-shit-six-years-mens-group-and-accountability-work

· http://www.anarchapistemology.net/archives/18
· http://phillystandsup.wordpress.com/
· http://fruitiondesign.com/dealwithit/02wispy.php
Consent Guidelines for IMF Resistance Network Spaces and Housing
The only person who can define consent for access to your body is you. Obtaining
consent from another involves having an open and active mind to learn to understand
that person. Consensual touch and sex empowers partners to be honest about what they
are comfortable with and what they do and do not want. Doing personal work to
consistently seek consent and respect the times when it is not given helps to combat
rape culture and is necessary to build strong, healthy anti-authoritarian
communities. This is especially important in every physical and sexual encounter,
regardless of length, history, or specific situation. Check in with your partner and
check in with yourself.
Consent can mean:
· YOU ARE NEVER ENTITLED
· commucincating verbally: asking “would you like to __?” “is this ok?” and “do you
like __?”
· hitting on someone before they are drunk
· knowing your own boundaries and asserting them
· stopping in the middle of whatever you’re doing if asked, no matter what you want
· paying attention to body language and silent signs on unenthusiasm—check in!
· never assuming that just because someone __ed with you before that they want to do
it with you again
· many different things to different people—establish what consent is before sexual
contact
· enjoying yourself and your partner
· more than what can be defined on a piece of paper!
Sexual Assault: Sexual assault is any non-consensual sexual interaction. Sexual
assault happens, and it happens in activist and radical communities as much as
anywhere else. Sexual assault can be perpetrated by a complete stranger, but is
often perpetrated by someone known and trusted by a survivor and community. Sexual
assault is a tool of domination, of taking power, and can rob someone of their self
respect, feelings of self worth, and autonomy. Sexual assault is rooted in broader
systems of oppression such as patriarchy, white supremacy, capitalism, homophobia,
and colonialism and is not separable from them in how and why it is perpetrated,
experienced, and dealt with.
Rape Culture: Rape culture is the culture in which sexual assault and other forms of
sexual violence are condoned, excused and even encouraged. Rape culture is part of a
broader culture of violence, wherein people are socialized to inhabit different
positions in hierarchical relationships, to commodify their fellow human beings, and
to relate to each other through violence and coercion. The IMF Resistance Network’s
“no perpetrator” policy and “consent” guidelines are an attempt to challenge and
undermine rape culture
Further resources on consent:
· http://zinelibrary.info/learning-good-consent
· http://zinelibrary.info/not-without-my-consent
· http://medic.wikia.com/wiki/Example_Consent_Policies
· http://www.phillyspissed.net/node/30
· http://zinelibrary.info/ask-first
· http://zinelibrary.info/dont-rape-each-other
Why We Must Respond to Sexual Assault at Mass Demos
Sexual assault happens at mass mobilizations.
The transient and chaotic nature of protests makes them an especially likely time
for assaults to happen. Perpetrators of assault may feel less accountable for their
actions when they are outside of their usual communities. Abusers can take advantage
of the instability of things like housing and travel, as well as heightened levels
of emotional trauma, and the sudden bonds of comradeship that come from facing a
common adversary. At the same time, protesters often temporarily suspend the usual
mechanisms they employ to ensure their safety while they focus on demo actions and
goals. Solidarity is an assumed and necessary part of shared struggle—and abusive
people have time and again shat on our trust.

The state wields sexualized violence to uphold its power. Meanwhile, the state uses
sexual assault as a weapon of torture against dissent. Police repression is often
gendered and sexualized. Many of us who are abused by the police or imprisoned will
be further targeted because of our gender, gender presentation or identity, and
sexuality. Queer, trans, and gender-variant activists may be particularly singled
out, as the state imposes patriarchal binaries onto the bodies of those who reject
them. It is essential that we are ready to support our comrades through police abuse
and repression, affirm and celebrate each others' right to self-identity, and offer
loving care for the long haul.
Some survivors of sexual assault avoid mass demos because perpetrators and abusers
participate in them.
When our communities refuse to stand in solidarity with survivors, we welcome
perpetrators into them, allowing them to feel entitled to those spaces. Some
survivors feel we are left on our own to decide how and if we want to navigate that
scene. Some of us work really hard to know in advance the movements of people who
have abused us so that we can avoid seeing them, or at least so we can prepare
ourselves for whatever further abuse or trauma an interaction with that person may
bring up. Even if survivors are choosing not to allow a perpetrator’s presence to
deter us from our participation in mass demos, that person’s presence can still mess
with our ability to devote all our energy to our goals and potential. We might need
to secure different housing; we might stay up all night or have to deal with latent
trauma that that person triggers (instead of taking care of the trauma of battling
the cops all day); we might freeze up in the middle of an action when we realize
that that person is there beside us.
Some people avoid mass demos altogether because they feel the culture of summit
protests encourages domination and sexual assault. Militant protest is not the
domain of machismo. But when we don’t organize our protests in solidarity with
survivors, we force those who face sexualized oppression to divide their tough,
capable efforts between the goals of the demo and their own survival. We are
alienating our comrades. Our movements are losing their creativity, anger, and
strength. In exchange for what?
Who are we in solidarity with anyhow?
We are resisting global hegemonic trade agreements and imperialist war because these
monoliths operate without consent from or accountability to the people they fuck
over. Some examples make the connection: the US interrogation chambers at Abu Ghraib
and Guantanamo use sexual assault as a weapon of torture to further racist,
neoliberal imperialism. The prison industrial complex cultivates a rape culture in
US prisons to maintain control of inmates and punish anyone who doesn’t fit rigid
gender binaries. The long history of rape and lynching of African Americans in the
US used sexual assault and sexualized brutality to uphold white supremacy.
Sexual assault is one of the most intimate weapons of power. While experienced on
the deepest personal level, the impacts of sexual assault go far beyond any
individual violations. Every time we disrespect consent or dismiss the needs of a
survivor, we are perpetuating and actively contributing to oppression.
Any fascist can fight the cops. When we are building our movements of resistance,
who we are standing in solidarity with matters. We propose that our movement stand
first with survivors.