Solidarity with Survivors of Sexual Assault and Abuse
UPDATE: Hear more from Julie in our recently published interview, “When We Are Silent We Are Still Afraid, We Speak Up to Survive.” Read it here.
Earth First! Newswire Editors’ Note: When first notified of the events brought up in the statement below, the EF!J Collective (as well as other EF! activists) struggled to effectively support efforts by survivors and their allies. Although the majority of the current Collective was not involved in these decisions, we understand and regret the silencing impact they have had. We’re actively reflecting on decisions made by past incarnations of the Collective and are committed to learning from past actions.
If you would like to share your experiences of sexual assault or abuse or if you are in need of support, please write to survivorsunite2016@gmail.com.
We’re trying to fundraise for Julie and Chrysta to help them recover from the abuse they’ve suffered. Please share these two fundraisers and donate if you can: https://www.youcaring.com/Support-for-Julie & https://www.tilt.com/tilts/help-chrysta-and-maya-thrive
Content warning: sexual assault, backlash, victim blaming.
Last year Julie, an Earth First! and animal rights activist, came forward and shared her account of being sexually assaulted in November 2014 by Rod Coronado, a well-known elder in Earth First! and animal liberation circles. It appears that this assault happened a few months after a crew of people attempted to hold Rod accountable for his behavior towards his ex-wife Chrysta. This crew believed that he had been abusive and threatening but they didn’t have the necessary access to EF! groups to make an effective, widespread, public call-out of Rod. It’s our understanding that they approached national EF! activists for help facilitating a broader call-out in the EF! community in the summer and fall of 2014. This request was met with resistance from the activists they reached out to.
We feel that Julie was also faced with a decision to come forward with her experiences or to keep quiet. After choosing to speak up, both she and her supporters received backlash in the weeks and months that followed. Julie and Chrysta have also received proactive displays of support from people within the movement, but we believe that they – and all survivors – deserve more. We want to build on these acts of support to establish resilient and deeply-rooted networks of support for survivors within Earth First!.
We write this letter to declare our support for Julie and Chrysta, and to honor their bravery in publicly coming forward. We also wish to express solidarity with all survivors of rape and abuse working in grassroots environmental and animal rights activism. This is a push back against the attacks leveled against Julie – and other activist survivors – and a cry out against repressive attempts to silence Julie, Chrysta, and all survivors. It is our understanding that Rod has distanced himself from those who have encouraged him to take accountability for the impact his actions have made. We also believe that he continues to encourage backlash against Julie.
Survivors often face backlash and violence when they share information about their abuse and those responsible for it. We are requesting that groups consider the risks of working with or hosting individuals who are known to be abusive. In asking groups to cease working with perpetrators, we are prioritizing the safety and well being of all women, trans men, and gender-non-conforming* people in our movement. We all deserve to work with groups that do not tolerate abusive or predatory behavior.
Survivor autonomy (the right of survivors to determine what actions and support they need to heal after abuse) is in alignment with the wider principles of biocentrism, and particularly with the idea that all beings (including human animals) have the right to exist in freedom and dignity. Acts of abuse undermine a human or non-human animal’s ability to live and flourish for their own sake rather than for the benefit of others. Therefore, strategies to challenge abuse need to be centered on what the survivors in question need in terms of healing, safety and respect.
It is our belief that our movement’s success is dependent on its ability to resist both state and interpersonal repression. Although sexual assault and abuse happen in all sections of society, within our movement they function as a specific form of repression; by limiting the full participation of women, trans, and gender-nonconforming people in Earth First! and other eco and animal liberation networks, we are reducing our own numbers and safety and repressing our own power. This mirrors the very way state repression and police violence work to curtail our right to protest. Therefore, we believe that supporting survivors of abuse – including those who wish to publicly call-out their abusers – is an important aspect of our struggle against all forms of repression.
As activists and groups that are under surveillance from the state and from corporate interests, we recognize the risk of disclosing personal information online. However, we also recognize the very real dangers that women and trans people face in our groups when they are not warned about predatory or abusive individuals. There is an agreed-upon practice of sharing information about known FBI informants or activists who have co-operated for reduced sentences in order to keep our communities safe. In this spirit, it also follows that our communities are not secure when survivors are discouraged from going public about the abuse or sexual assaults they have experienced from fellow activists. For security culture to be truly effective in our movement and for all individuals, it must be survivor-centric.
In signing this letter, we not only stand for it in word but also in action. We therefore commit ourselves to reviewing or renewing our group’s anti-oppression and safer spaces policies. We believe that they need to be in line with survivor-centric and trauma-informed responses to abuse, violence and oppression. Putting these policies into practice is central to the safety of those most at risk of abuse and assault in our movements. Finally, we sign as an affirmation to the survivors in our movements that we value them and all that they bring to the struggle.
In solidarity,
Nell Barrows
Wendy Sampson
Nettle (former member of EF! Journal Collective)
Grace Warner
Paxana Non Grata
Alex Rue
Steph Cascadia (Former member of TWAC, Earth First!, and Rising Tide North America)
Loki Anderson
Kalypso Cascade
Angela Cope
Margaret Killjoy
Meghsha Barner
Emmalyn Garrett
AJ (EF! Prisoner Support)
Lyra Goldman (Biscuit Campaign 2004-05, former member of Cascadia Forest Alliance)
Elizabeth Robertson (Seeds of Peace Collective member, former Buffalo Field Campaign staff)
Jasmine Zimmer-Stucky
Rae Breaux
Evan Greer
Colleen Conroy
S. Quatch (Cascadia Forest Defenders)
Chanel Warzynski (Cascadia Forest Defenders)
Anna Fay (Cascadia Forest Defenders)
Meghsha Barner
Victory LeFey
Jennifer Ewan
Frankie Leigh Grace
Maxamia Codella Fernandez
Debra Harrow
Jen Skunk
Julia Baldino
Amory Ballantine
Alley Valkyrie
D. Young
Ariel Alexandria Gruzca
Zoe Ginsburg
Allie Baxter Lubbs
Sophia Ricci
K Martinez Warren
Jane Andres
Tuck Swords
Toby Fraser
Jonathan Grindell
Brett Jarczyk
Airick (former Wolf Patrol founder)
Brian Frank
Chris Crux
Josh Harper (TALON Conspiracy)
Lundy Bancroft
Cims Gillespie
Storm Waters
Mick Garvin
Jonathan Rising
Richard Hayley (Cascadia Forest Defenders, Earth First!)
Leaf (Hunt Saboteurs Association US/UK)
Matt Wallace
Chris Richards
Noah Hochman
Trip Jennings
Ron Seifert
Ahmed Gaya
Snow (Cascadia Forest Defenders)
Panagioti Tsolkas
Choya Renata
Sofia Aralia
Billie Rain
Gigi
Rachel O’Narn Bjork, NARN ( Northwest Animal Rights Network) Board member
Earth First! Journal
2016 Rondy Crew
Fenn Valley Earth First!
DAM Collective
Everglades Earth First!
Campaign To Fight Toxic Prisons
Utah Tar Sands Resistance
Seattle Rising Tide
Southern Oregon Rising Tide
Portland Rising Tide
Empty Cages Los Angeles
Total Liberation Crew Los Angeles
Support DxE’s Victims
Intersectional Feminists for Animals – LA
Hunt Saboteurs North America
Progress for Science
No More Deaths
In Other Words Bookstore
Rose City Antifa
*A note on terminology: People of all genders can be abused or raped. However, women, trans men, and gender-non-conforming people are more likely to experience abuse and sexual assault than cis men.
For more information on survivor centric paths to addressing sexual assault, abuse and violence, or if you are in need of support, please check out the following resources:
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) 24 Hour National Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) Provides U.S. with toll free hotline for survivors and parents, families and friends of survivors. Public service announcement, statistics and informational materials also available online. online.rainn.org
Support New York aims to support survivors, to hold accountable those who have perpetuated harm, and to maintain a dialogue about consent, mutual aid, transformative justice, and our society’s narrow views of abuse. supportny.org
Philly Survivor Support Collective supports survivors of sexual assault in directing their own healing and offers alternatives to the legal system for survivors seeking safety and justice. phillysurvivorsupportcollective.wordpress.com
Philly Stands Up is a survivor led collective that leads people who have perpetuated sexual assault through processes aiming to hold them accountable for their actions and to meaningfully change their behavior. phillystandsup.com
The Network/La Red is a survivor led organization out of Boston aiming to support survivors through hotline services and phone based support groups in addition to providing crisis intervention, shelter and advocacy support to survivors in the Boston area. tnlr.org
Right to Speak Out strives to provide support to survivors and their advocates experiencing civil or criminal charges as a result of speaking out about experiences of assault and abuse. Right to Speak Out advocates for the use of community accountability processes. righttospeakout.org
The NW Network of Bi, Trans, Lesbian and Gay Survivors of Abuse works to end violence and abuse by building loving and equitable relationships in our community and across the country. nwnetwork.org
Generation Five: A movement to end child sexual abuse in five generations through survivor leadership, community organization and public action. generationfive.org
National Sexual Violence Resource Center National information and resource hub relating to all aspects of sexual violence. nsvrc.org
19 responses to “Solidarity with Survivors of Sexual Assault and Abuse”
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Earth First! Newswire Features
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016
The Summer 2016 Earth First! Newsletter is Now Available Online
Tuesday, July 12th, 2016
Mabon Submission Deadline is August 1
Friday, June 24th, 2016
When We Are Silent We Are Still Afraid, We Speak Up to Survive: An Interview with Julie
Tuesday, June 21st, 2016
Solidarity with Survivors of Sexual Assault and Abuse
Saturday, May 14th, 2016
Rancher Kills First Wolverine Seen in North Dakota in 150 Years
Action Alerts
Thursday, August 4th, 2016
URGENT Call to Support Our Frontlines – Camp of The Sacred Stones
Wednesday, July 20th, 2016
July 22: Resistance to Mega-Mining Everywhere
Wednesday, July 6th, 2016
Call to Action: Three Years Since Lac-Megantic Disaster
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So pleased to see y’all listening to survivors and speaking out against abuse in our communities!
Thank you!
Cynthia O’Brien-Sweilem
I, too, believe that “our movement’s success is dependent on its ability to resist both state and interpersonal repression.” Which is why I am so deeply saddened by how our community has come to deal with these issues and this issue in particular.
Every accusation of sexual assault deserves a real community response. Yet as a former political prisoner I am deeply troubled by the methods this community has come to call justice.
This letter puts forth some untruths that I would like to correct. Many of Rod’s friends including, myself, have had many uncomfortable, but necessary conversations with him about his behavior. And true enough, not all of these conversations have been productive.
That said, I know for fact that Rod offered on more than one occasion to engage in an accountability process with Julie. Julie’s response was that she did not want to participate.
Cascadia Forest Defenders (CFD) also asked Rod to participate in an accountability process without Julie. He agreed, but members of CFD did not keep their word and rather than engage in any kind of process simply stopped communicating and began targeting Rod.
When Rod came to town for a speaking event. I opened my home to Rod and anyone that wanted to confront him in order to try and facilitate dialog. I invited members from CFD. Only one person who has signed this letter attended, however, rather than engage in any meaningful conversation this person simply hung out and drank beer all night. They later went home to write a scathing facebook post about Rod.
I don’t really care what you think about Rod (or me for that matter). But, I do care about how people get there. I have spoken with Rod, and the other members of wolf patrol that were present that night. I have spoken with the journalist that was in the room at the time the alleged assault happened. I have spoken with former friends of Rod who confronted him over his behavior toward Chrysta. I have listened to people that have been at other campaigns with both Rod and Julie.
How many people who have signed this letter can say the same? I know there aren’t easy solutions, and I certainly know these are not easy conversations to have. But, we have to have a method a Justice that is more than just internet accusations and an unwillingness to have real conversations.
this comment is harmful rape apology bullshit and should be removed. no dialogue with scumbags.
Based on what I’ve read, it sounds like Rod already had an opportunity to act accountably, At this point it’s just about saving face in the community. And it seems like Julie is not interested in engaging in that. Too bad he missed his chance to be genuinely sorry, womp womp.
This is a beautiful letter. Although it does not affect me personally, I have the utmost respect for ALL EF! activists.
“cease working with perpetrators, we are prioritizing the safety and well being of all women, trans men, and gender-non-conforming* people in our movement. We all deserve to work with groups that do not tolerate abusive or predatory behavior.”
I would like to opine that such predatory humans are detrimental to all of us, not just the most vulnerable: they lower the energy of the work that is being done. I hope such people will seek professional help for their problems, so they can participate fully in the love of the biosphere.
This article warms my heart and gives me hope for unity in this cause. Thank you for coming forward!
I, too, believe that “our movement’s success is dependent on its ability to resist both state and interpersonal repression.” Which is why I am so deeply saddened by how our community has come to deal with these issues and this issue in particular.
Every accusations of sexual assault deserves a community response, yet as a former political prisoner I am deeply troubled by the methods this community has come to call justice.
This letter puts forth some untruths that I would like to correct. Many of Rod’s friends including, myself, have had many uncomfortable, but necessary conversations with him about his behavior. And true enough, not all of these conversations have been productive.
That said, I know for fact that Rod offered on more than one occasion to engage in an accountability process with Julie. Julie’s response was that she did not want to participate.
Cascadia Forest Defenders (CFD) also asked Rod to participate in an accountability process without Julie. He agreed, but members of CFD did not keep their word and rather than engage in any kind of process simply stopped communicating and began targeting Rod.
When Rod came to town for a speaking event. I opened my home to Rod and anyone that wanted to confront him in order to try and facilitate dialog. I invited members from CFD. Only one person who has signed this letter attended, however, rather than engage in any meaningful conversation this person simply hung out and drank beer all night. They later went home to write a scathing facebook post about Rod.
I don’t really care what you think about Rod, or me for that matter. But, I do care about how people get there. I have spoken with Rod, and the other members of wolf patrol that were present that night. I have spoken with the journalist that was in the room at the time the alleged assault happened. I have spoken with former friends of Rod who confronted him over his behavior toward Chrysta. I have listened to people that have been at other campaigns with both Rod and Julie.
How many people who have signed this letter can say the same? I know there aren’t easy solutions, and I certainly know these are not easy conversations to have. But, we have to have a method a Justice that is more than just internet accusations and an unwillingness to have real conversations.
^^ I’m fairly certain that Rod is the individual in question who has refused to engage in honest communications and has refused to participate in multiple accountability processes. And that’s not even the real point of this letter– you are missing it. The true issue here is that we must be survivor centric. That means that Julie, or any survivor, can choose to cope and receive support in the ways that are safest and most healthy for them. Blaming a victim of sexual assault for allegedly not wanting to be in an accountability process with the person who assaulted them? That’s just straight up victim blaming, and the exact sentiment that this letter and its agreements seek to stop in our communities. I can’t believe your comment was even published, it is so inflammatory and blameful and reliant on your supposed cred, knowledge, and status.
It is NEVER the survivors responsibility to engage the perp in an accountability process. It’s on rod and anyone who chooses to be his community to work with whomever the survivors decide will be they’re support ( if they don’t want to engage directly), and put every effort into showing that they’re doing something (anything) to end the behavior. I can’t attest to being involved in all of these attempts at accountability or dialogue but it sounds like from this account and all the others I’ve heard it’s mostly others trying to hand hold Rod through this and not a whole lot of ownership or follow through from Rod.
I’m writing to respond to Jeffrey’s comment above.
Jeffrey, I appreciate your thoughtful effort to grapple seriously with the issues raised by this letter. I get the feeling that you do want to see the concerns that we are all raising (I’m one of the co-signers of the letter) seriously and that you want to see them constructively addressed. I appreciate your engagement, and I think you raise a number of important points that we need to think about.
At the same time, I wish your response were very different. And I’m choosing to begin with those points first.
First of all, there seems to be a gut reaction missing on your part. Before going into a debate about the events, don’t you first want to give a human reaction? For example, I wish we would see something from you along the lines of, “I feel terrible that these women have been treated in these ways, and that they have been wounded by those experiences.”
Second, the fact that Rod appeared to decide on certain occasions to listen to people hardly represents a huge or significant breakthrough. That can’t begin to make up for what he has done, and for what his responses have been to people who have challenged him on his behavior. (You yourself seem to be saying that his responses haven’t been productive.) A man who is among the people whose integrity I most deeply trust in the world is one of the people who has confronted Rod, and he reported to me how unsatisfactory Rod’s responses were, and that Rod then basically erased this man from further communication.
When a man is being called out on sexual assault, that’s a seriously horrible response on his part. It deepens the damage he has already done with his assaults (and it should serve to remove any doubts that anyone has that the reports are true). And it’s pretty clear that multiple people have this experience with Rod.
Part of what goes on with abusive men (who happen to be the subject of my professional field) is that people around them tend to believe that we should take very seriously any movement, however slight, that the man makes in a positive direction. This view is not fair toward victims, and it isn’t reality-based, in that these small movements that abusers make hardly ever turn into anything significant.
What would be a meaningful response from Rod? This is a key question. Here are my beliefs:
1) He needs to fully admit to what he has done, not just to these women but to any others that he has violated or abused.
2) He needs to make a profound statement that these behaviors are fully his issues and that no one else is responsible for his actions.
3) He needs to acknowledge how much harm his actions did, and how unjust they were.
4) He needs to make an ironclad promise to never repeat these behaviors.
5) He needs to stop all retaliation against the victims and against their allies, including anyone who has tried to get him to deal with his actions.
These are far from extreme expectations. In fact, they are an absolute minimum. A community could very reasonably demand far more than this.
So if we’re not seeing anything remotely close to even this much — and we’re not — then I don’t think there’s anything to get at all excited about in Rod’s responses They are actually typical fare so far of how men who exploit women handle disclosures of their behavior.
Third, there should never be any expectation that a victim should be interested in confronting the person who violated her. The aggressor’s responses to such confrontations are rarely healing ones for the victim, and the vast majority of the time are reinjuring for her. She should only participate in such a process if she feels very sure that it will be good for her to do so.
It does make sense to set up processes of accountability, but the appropriate people to handle those processes are allies of the woman, with the allies keeping in close contact with the victim but usually without her direct participation.
I agree with you that there has to be a willingness among the rest of us to have real conversations and to use processes that are thoughtfully structured. But to even get there, first we have to stop ignoring what the targets of male violence are reporting to us over and over and over, and this type of ignoring of women has dominated our movement for many years.
There are a bunch of people, both women and men (I’m male, by the way — I realize my name doesn’t tip that off) within the movement who are working hard to improve how we respond to aggression and violations toward females, most of which comes from males. These folks are in serious discussions, and are doing serious writing, about how to respond better to victims so that they don’t just get left injured and alone and so that they don’t feel forced to leave the movement. They are also looking at how better to respond to the aggressors, and how to create cleaner processes for everyone involved.
And I think they are doing really well. The letter above, the one we’re debating, is to me such an example of great process, not of bad process. It’s thoughtful and supportive, it describes the bad actions of certain individuals without trying to paint those people as monsters, and it asks us to move in a constructive and healing direction. Rather than being something to launch into criticizing, I think it’s exactly the kind of direction we want to be heading in.
I do think the points you raise about individuals bailing on meeting with Rod should be looked at. I’d like to know more about why people didn’t show up — it sure seems like they should have.
Again, I appreciate your thoughtfulness and your commitment to be part of an ongoing process of careful thought and dialogue. We can work this out. We can succeed in creating an atmosphere where women are safe and have their voices listened to seriously, and where abusive and exploitative men are stopped in their tracks. I think that’s what most of us want, and my sense is that this is true of you as well.
What it feels like to be a survivor of sexual assault: Youve been injured, and you dont know if you are going to survive. You try to stand up and ask for help, but some of people start throwing rocks at you instead. Each rock hurts. So much. NO ONE FUCKING ASKS FOR THAT!!!!
I too want to respond to Jeff’s comment. Thank you to the previous responders to Jeff’s comments. I whole heartedly agree with most of what has been said. I want to caution and complicate Lundy’s commending of Jeff’s supposed desire for dialogue because that is not what his comment communicates to me. Jeff, I do not know you, but I know you have made an extensive name for yourself as someone who has behaved in abusive and manipulative ways. I believe these accounts of your aggressive, condescending, manipulative and misogynist words and behaviors. Your comment upholds what I have already heard. I believe your comment is abusive and manipulative for many reasons but I will elaborate on the two primary reasons here. 1. Instead of being direct about not believing and supporting Julie(and other survivors), you couch your message in vague details of meaningless evidence and false accusations of people avoiding confrontation and dialogue and 2. You make up rules to a game that is not yours to dictate. The message of “unless you jump through these hoops, you don’t deserve to acknowledge abusive behavior and ensure women’s safety” comes through clear. You can take your hoops and shove them. Furthermore, your narcissistic tone congratulating yourself on your response to Rod and judging the responses of others is “deeply troubling.” Jeff, if you read this I’d encourage you to stop worrying about Rod and focus your energy on addressing and being accountable for your own behavior. To the Journal folks, if you decide to publish abusive and manipulative comments, please make a plan to ensure those comments are responded to appropriately. The task of ensuring this comment was addressed appropriately took away from time and energy dedicated to directly supporting survivors. To all the survivors and supporters, stay strong and fight on–we got each other. Much love to the fierce and the brave, especially Julie and Chrysta.
I’m not specifically addressing Jeff, I want to address anyone who is not a survivor, who feels compelled to judge what I should/should not have done, shoulda/would/coulda/yadda/yadda/yadda. Those 1 in 3 people are survivors of sexual assault statistics are absolutely correct! So when you say shit to or about survivors, look around you, because you are probably isolating so many of us, so many of your own friends. And if you say, “Well I dont know anyone who has been assaulted” its because no one talks to you about it because you are an asshole. You have no clue the fear of speaking up, what you have to mentally accept when you make the decision to break the silence. I spoke up, but I am not brave. I’m terrified. I’m fucking terrified. I’m terrified every time i get a call from a number I dont recognize. I’m terrified every time I get a call from someone I know informing me of another shitty thing someone said about me. I’m terrified now to get online at all. That’s alot of emotion to hold onto alone. If I had chosen to stay silent, I could so easily could have become another suicide statistic. THAT IS WHAT IS MEANS TO BE A SURVIVOR.
Jeff, so you say you spoke to all the wp crew members who were there? Well, 75% of the crew is now ex-crew because of having issues with Rod. So when you say you spoke to most of them, were you being purposely selective, or was that simply lack of over-site on your part? Most importantly, you reached out to Rod, NOT ME. NOT ONCE.
Hello Lundy,
Thank you for your well thought out reply. As, previous comments demonstrate it is not easy to have conversations about this issue with out being attacked, regardless of ones “position”. Which, while unfortunate is understandable, considering how intensely emotional these issues/this issue is. So, sincerely thank you with engaging with me.
You speak to me of gut reactions, as if this issue hasn’t been a regular part of my life since I was forward an email in February 2014 accusing Rod of poor behavior and actions toward Chrysta and accused him of sexually assaulting a then unnamed person. I took those accusations as seriously then as I do now. (My partner is a former member of Wolf Patrol and was present during this time.) I have taken steps, as previously mentioned, to learn as much as I can about the circumstances and facts surrounding those events and hold Rod accountable for his actions.
I make no claim that this is adequate, in fact quite the opposite. I have tried on multiple occasions to set up an accountability process of any kind (with or without Julie) with Rod’s then support. However, as Julie, and many of her supporters including you state you are not interested in any process in which Rod gets to share his version of the truth. Which I think is relevant.
Which leads to my gut reaction now to the proposal you and the above letter put forward as Justice. To be clear, this no longer has anything to do with Rod but with the general principles you put forward.
Seemingly, you would fight one heinous, and reprehensible injustice with yet another flagrant violation of human rights. I am not willing to accept that regardless of your well-meant intentions. (Or perhaps, you disagree with the principle that it is a human right to be presumed innocent and entitled to a fair and public hearing (United Nations Universial Declaration of Human Rights Article 10 & 11).)
As a former prisoner of the state, how can I not be horrified by the idea that my enemy would allow me to the opportunity to defend myself, call witnesses on my behalf, and at the very least tell my side of the story; yet you propose that we condemn a member of our own activist community based on the accusation of another with out any process other than one of being forced to acknowledge guilt. If that were the style of justice we currently lived under people like Daniel McGowan, Eric McDavid, and myself might well still be in prison.
Justice is blind for a reason; it should not be swayed by emotions, but guided by facts. And the plain and simply fact is that you presume Rod (or others in his position) to be guilty, and you base every interaction with them or their supporters on that presumption. Now to be fair, it is really hard not to do that. Which is all the more reason for supporters and allies of survivors to push for real accountability processes that allow all sides of a story to be heard. Because the lack of process, is a lack of community integrity and that is the greater harm. Justice is not just about survivors and perpetrators it is a reflection of who we are as a community. Justice isn’t a buzzword. It is a responsibility, a particularly great one if we choose to work outside of the system, I am not willing shirk that responsibility in favor of simpler solutions.
Hi Wendy,
I am horrified that you have heard such awful rumors of me and that you would perpetuate them despite your own claim that you don’t know me.
I would like to formally request a public accountability process in which we can both share our sides of the story. I am willing to participate are you?
Hey Jeff,
Yes, several accounts I have heard of you are awful. Your tone of surprise is alarming because it’s doubtful that this is the first time it’s been brought to your attention. Nonetheless, I’m glad to hear of your willingness to engage in a public accountability process. I have no interest in participating in your accountability process which should not affect your process. Should you have friends and community members willing to invest time and energy into your process, I’d encourage you to remember it is not their responsibility to provide details of your abusive behavior. You are perfectly capable of reflecting on your own behavior and interactions with people, analyzing your behavior and creating a plan for change. Should community members not be available or should you need additional support in clarifying past abusive intensions, behavior and dynamics, Lundy could possibly provide some resources.
You seem to assume your investment in the US (and UN) justice system is shared. Historically this structure (based on evidence trial and punitive action) has failed to provide justice to survivors of sexual assault and abuse and has failed to provide justice to most oppressed groups. Hence, why myself and many others have no interest in recreating this structure in our own communities. Neither you nor Rod are entitled to a trial. Accountability process means you are alerted (in whatever way whether details are provided or not) that you have caused harm to a person or group of people and you are provided support in acknowledging and repairing (if possible) the harm done to individuals and the larger community, gaining insight into the ambiguities, the complexity of power and violence within yourself and dedicating yourself to treating others with respect and compassion. If persons within your community are not able to provide you with this support (which you are not entitled to), it is your responsibility to create an support (accountability) team through professional counselors and support groups, etc. This shows far more responsibility than wasting time preparing for an evidence based trial mimicking abusive power structures dedicated to denying the oppressive natures of patriarchy, white supremacy, heteronormativity, etc.
Wow. Okay, I made my attempt and I saw where it went, so I don’t feel the need to make another. Now I’ve seen for myself that Jeffrey can’t hear anything that women are saying nor can he respond to anything they say in a caring or supportive way, and that seems likely by extension to be a good indication of how Rod operates. (Jeffrey also sharply distorts what I said.) So at this point I vote we close this dialogue and go back to the focus on supporting survivors and making plans for how we will more effectively stop aggressors in the future, which is what most of you folks were already doing great work on. Again, my support and appreciation to all the women and allies who are taking this struggle on.
I’m not sure there is much I can add to the many replies to Jeffery’s pretty horrifically abuse-defending comments which are, ultimately, either calling multiple survivors liars or deliberate obfuscations made in full knowledge that these abuses took place.
I would encourage the EF!J to not to publish comments like his unless the editors are prepared to also reply themselves directly, it’s unfortunate that it’s mostly women doing the work to correct Jeffery’s BS.
Dear Earth First! Newswire Readers,
We at the EF! Journal Collective have decided not to approve any more comments on this thread. After months of discussions about the content of the solidarity statement and interview, after weeks of edits and adjustments to both articles and the attached disclaimers and resource lists, after over a year of internal discussions about this issue itself, and after finally posting these articles online and publishing them in print, we somewhat naively thought that managing the comments section was something that we as a collective could handle properly without extensive follow-up meetings and discussions. We now realize that we were not prepared or equipped to make decisions about what kinds of comments were or were not appropriate on this forum, but in our desire to not censor everything and simultaneously not allow hateful or triggering comments to be attached to such important articles, we winged it, so to speak, and the results were regretful. There are comments that were approved that we regret approving, there are comments we didn’t not approve that we regret not having approved, and there are comments on both ends that we still don’t know how we feel about. Because of this, we don’t feel it is responsible to continue managing comments on these articles, and we ceased approving comments some days ago. Since then, we have debated removing all of these comments so that the articles could stand on their own, comment-less, but for many reasons, including the further silencing that would cause, the erasing of history it would cause, and the desire to own up to our mistakes and be transparent about what happened, we are leaving them. We have received dozens if not hundreds of emails from all sides of this issue, praise as well as shaming, and we would like to thank everyone who reached out to us, whatever the reason. We are still learning, and as a collective that is dedicated to supporting survivors we hope that we will continue to grow and learn so that we make less mistakes and be able to better support each other and the movement in the future. For those of you who wish to continue discussing these articles, there are many other forums through which to do so, including social media and our “Dear Shit fer Brains” letters to the editor section. Also, as always, feel free to send us an email: collective[at]earthfirstjournal[dot]org.
For the Wild,
The Earth First! Journal Collective