maymay:

While I was at Arisia 2012, I went to the Sexual Harassment and Assault in Fandom panel, at which I learned about the Back Up Project, an inter-convention initiative intended to create environments that are actively uncomfortable for abusers to exploit. This is particularly important in “geek” communities, where the Geek Social Fallacies are cultural enablers of assault. Here’s one of The Back Up Project’s handouts:

BACK UP
The Open Source Women Back Each Other Up Projectreal world help for a real world problem
The Project aims to make help against harassment visibile and available, to create safer environments, to help women to support other women and men to challenge other men. We want sff, anime, comic, and other cons to be safer spaces for women.
I will break through your Somebody Else’s Problem invisibility field and come over and ask if you’re okay.
I will remember that you are in charge, and if you don’t want my help, I will go away. I will be there to help you in the future if you need it.
I will help you contact help: your friends, the event organizers, or police/security officers, if that is what you would like.
I will help you to the best of my ability if you’re being harassed or made to feel uncomfortable. Just let me know, even if you don’t know me.
I will not tell you that you must have been imagining things.
I will not say to you to go home, or go hide in your room, or just stay away from that guy.
I will not make you feel like your right to control over your own body is not a big deal.
http://www.backupproject.org/

There are also large buttons that you can wear to signify that you are an “active bystander,” someone who is willing to take on this “back up” role.
Some useful tips to help prevent sexual assault from the panel:
Watch people’s eyes: if someone’s in a conversation but not making eye contact with the person speaking to them, the person avoiding eye contact may be wanting an escape from the interaction. If they are looking down, they may either be very shy, or they may have given up finding an escape.
Tension can be seen in the jaw: people who are uncomfortable in social situations or are in distress carry tension that can often be seen by tight-lipped expressions, grinding of the jaw, and so forth.
Offer social outs: interject with a question such as “Do you know where [the pool/registration table/etc.] is?” If the person wants an out, they can say, “Oh, yes, let me show you.”
Check in using hand signals: Catch the eye of someone you think may be uncomfortable while standing behind the aggressor and flashing an “Ok?” hand signal, which looks like this:
Remember, as the panelists said, in order to address the issue of rape in society, we need to address the role of the rapists—the real rapists, not the storybook rapists. Most rapes (77 percent!) are perpetrated by people who the survivor knows. That means there are rapists at the large conventions you’re going to—no exceptions, no excuses.
Further, criminals deliberately perpetrate crimes at conventions because they know it can be more easily disguised. Think about it: how many people have you seen in masks and costumes at the last Sci-Fi/Fantasy convention you went to? Yeah…that.
See also
On Blogging, Threats, and Silence
List of Rape Myths
iHollaback.org
inurashii:

thedailywhat:

Forbidden Love of the Day: An outreach initiative started by two Israeli graphic artists aiming to bridge the sociopolitical divide between Israel and Iran by sending out simple messages of love is yielding promising results.
According to Israeli paper of record Ha’aretz, “Israel Loves Iran” began attracting responses from Iranian Facebook users over the weekend, and more are being added every hour.
“My Israeli friends, I do not hate you; I do not want war. love, Peace,” read one such pacific missive from an anonymous Iranian contributor. Many of the Iranians participating in this campaign have chosen not to identify themselves for fear of arrest or other reprisals.
Still, the message is being heard loud and clear — and the campaign’s creators want to ensure it gets louder and clearer.
They’ve turned to the crowd funding site indiegogo for assistance in taking “Israel Loves Iran” to the next level: Print ads, billboards, and an unignorable spot overlooking Times Square.
[haaretz / israel<3iran / thanks mattan!]

I really like this.
“‎Rape culture is a culture in which people who have survived a violent crime are asked to laugh about it because other people think it’s funny.”
“True gender equality is actually perceived as inequality. A group that is made up of 50% women is perceived as being mostly women. A situation that is perfectly equal between men and women is perceived as being biased in favor of women. And if you don’t believe me, you’ve never been a married woman who kept her family name. I have had students hold that up as proof of my “sexism.” My own brother told me that he could never marry a woman who kept her name because “everyone would know who ruled that relationship.” Perfect equality – my husband keeps his name and I keep mine – is held as a statement of superiority on my part.”
Don't ever hesitate. Reblog this. This should be in the tumblr laws. When you see it, REBLOG IT. Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696 Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433 LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255 Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743 Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438 Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673 Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272 Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000 Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253 Crisis Chat Online: www.crisischat.org Just in case you need one of these, or know someone who does.