Toolkit for Interrupting Oppression

The Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence has a rich history of anti-oppression work, supporting and aligning with those who dismantle oppression and build safer communities. Amidst this ongoing work, questions arise as to how we can do more strategic interruptions, how we intervene with an awareness of power (ours and others), and how we can avoid harming or re-victimizing ourselves and others in the process of doing anti-oppression work. This project seeks to explore these questions while adding nuance to and expanding on the anti-oppression work and interruption tools many of us already use.

Written collaboratively with advocates and community partners throughout Oregon, the Toolkit for Interrupting Oppression:

• outlines considerations and guiding principles,
• provides activities for building skills,
• encourages readers toward cross-cultural communication and humility practices, and
• promotes practicing interruptions as often as possible.

In releasing this guide, our goal is to continue normalizing the process of interrupting oppression and violence (some fields call this “bystander intervention”). We want to make marginalized people feel powerful, empowered, so we can bring all our experiences and brilliance to bear on the practice of interruptions, and break the taboo against holding firm to our beliefs.

Contents

Introduction

Group Agreements
What are “Interruptions?”
Receiving & Responding to Interruptions

Creating an Interruption

1. Common Considerations

Considering Power
Considering Resilience and Safety
Considering Relationships & Longevity
Considering Language and Culture
Considering Other Barriers

2. Listing Possible Interruptions
3. Weighing Pros and Cons
4. Putting it All Together
5. Examples and Practice

Closing

Resource Reflection