We are abolitionists.
We are abolitionists who reject carceral frameworks to address harms perpetrated by abusers. We believe in the power of the people’s accountability and the sanitizing power of truth. Most of all we believe in building movements for change that are safe spaces for women and others.
The CBMH is addressing the sexual assault of one of our members in a systemic manner by outing the abuser and by partnering with other organizations who have silently or publicly been wrestling with the same issues, to host a tribunal. We are also undergoing internal processes to ensure that we have safety practices and preventive measures in place to prevent this from happening again in the future. We believe that abolition requires us to create safer environments for the most vulnerable among us.
Our approach is in line with the public ways that other organizations and individuals have sought to address sexual abuse and violence in movement spaces such as convening tribunals; adopting policy statements; and blogging/testimonials.