Hi all,
I decided to contribute to this thread, however not in order to elaborate
on my personal opinion on this specific case. This would be inappropriate,
as we do not have sufficient information about it and also out of respect
for the people involved.
Instead, I want to comment, because I feel strongly about the consequences
this discussion may have - not only on the perception of the friendly space
policy and its effectiveness, but also on people who may need to refer to
the policy in the future.
This past Wikimania was very much about the importance of representing all
people in our movement and about finding ways for them to have a voice, to
be heard – and to feel safe to contribute and participate.
One reliable way to silence people when they experience harassment as well
as keeping others from speaking out, is to have them experience how other,
non-involved people, would immediately have an opinion on what happened and
judge the case or the person in question. This is what has happened here.
It is furthermore, absolutely out of proportion to weigh ones personal
irritation about some members being potentially more aware and sensitive of
this topic, against a context in which harassment and violence is not the
exception, but everyday reality.
Policies and measures like codes of conduct etc. exist for a reason.
Invisible to many, harassment does happen, it happens a lot, it happens
also amongst communities with great, humanitarian goals. In the world most
of us live in, offensive or invasive behavior has no tangible consequences
for those who commit it, but severe effects on those who experience it.
According to the Fundamental Rights Agency, 75% of women in qualified
professions or top management jobs have been sexually harassed[1]. UN Women
has confirmed that there is a big problem with underreporting when it comes
to these cases.
Efforts like the friendly space policies aim to contribute to establish a
societal climate where people feel safe and that makes all people aware,
that inappropriate behavior has consequences.
Publicly judging and ridiculing efforts to find a process, suitable to make
all people feel safe, heard, and, if necessary, taken seriously at events,
can set back efforts of creating such a process. Measures like friendly
space policies are not self-evident, they are an hard fought for
achievement. Seeing, how fast those efforts are being called into question,
is quite disheartening and worries me a lot.
I am very grateful to work for and with a movement that has agreed on
trying to make all people feel welcome and respected. I hope that we will
keep fostering this together.
best
Lilli
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<#_ftnref1>[1]
http://www.equineteurope.org/IMG/pdf/fra_9dec2014.pdf
--
Lilli Iliev
Projektmanagerin Politik
project manager public policy
Wikimedia Deutschland e.V. | Tempelhofer Ufer 23-24 | 10963 Berlin
Tel. (030) 219 158 26-0
http://wikimedia.de
Stellen Sie sich eine Welt vor, in der jeder Mensch an der Menge allen
Wissens frei teilhaben kann. Helfen Sie uns dabei!
http://spenden.wikimedia.de/
Wikimedia Deutschland - Gesellschaft zur Förderung Freien Wissens e.V.
Eingetragen im Vereinsregister des Amtsgerichts Berlin-Charlottenburg unter
der Nummer 23855 B. Als gemeinnützig anerkannt durch das Finanzamt für
Körperschaften I Berlin, Steuernummer 27/029/42207