Self-Determination, Accountability & Safety

This resource emphasizes that the critical outcomes of advocacy are different for survivors and abusers: for survivors, the focus is on self-determination and safety, while for abusers, it is accountability. Importantly, self-determination must be prioritized over safety, since true and lasting safety can only be built when survivors have autonomy and the ability to make their own choices. The text critiques past anti-violence approaches that placed safety first, arguing that without self-determination, safety is not sustainable or empowering