LB Klein, Georgia, USA, SSH Blog Correspondent

Gender-based violence is currently ingrained in our society, and only true culture change will eradicate it. While we want to believe that organizations and groups working to end this violence and advance social justice are immune, abuse happens in these spaces as well. What happens when though when spaces that have a mission to end violence are actually perpetuating it? What happens when the perpetrators are our colleagues, our fellow activists, our leaders?

Enter Shine Squad, a tumblr space by and for folks who have experienced harassment and abuse while they’re working within these movements. As Shine Squad’s first video mentions, we often expect that abuse will be “overt and straight out of Mad Men.” However abusers, particularly those who know the language and values of our movement-building spaces, use more subversive strategies. Shine Squad’s tumblr is full of stories from women and trans folks whose colleagues and supervisors used these spaces against them in overt and covert ways.

It can be challenging to “rationalize [perpetrators’] work in the movement with their abusive behavior.” Because it is so disarming and surreal to experience violence in these spaces that are supposed to be safe, survivors can feel “on an island.” This cognitive dissonance leads to isolation, silencing, and self-blame that shifts the focus from what the perpetrator did wrong to blaming the survivor.

The painful consequences of violence in these spaces can be overwhelming to face alone, so Shine Squad provides a platform for “story sharing, expressing needs, and action taking.” Through their online form, anyone can submit anonymous stories of the harms they have experienced in activist communities and social justice organizations. These reports encompass a wide range of behaviors from subtle workplace discrimination that was “gross but you can’t quite put your finger on it” to intimidation to financial threats to digital harassment to sexual assault and abuse.

Shine Squad is not stopping with story sharing, however, they are also providing connections. They’re introducing survivors to others who have also survived abuse, even connecting those who might name the same perpetrator. They’re offering emotional support, connections with journalists, legal referrals, and opportunities for activist and organizing opportunities around addressing the “systematic problems of discrimination, harassment, and abuse in social justice movements.” They also give opportunities for members to help others through hosting conversations, sharing skills including legal and HR, or offering opportunities to advance the public conversation.

By building networks and sharing stories, Shine Squad is addressing a valuable need. This activist space provides a powerful reminder that for our movements to be successful, we must start at home, by fostering organizational environments that support survivors, prevent violence, and hold perpetrators accountable.

LB is an Atlanta-based researcher, advocate, and educator dedicated to ending gender-based violence, supporting survivors, and advancing social justice.  You can follow her on twitter @LB_Klein.