Post by @HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social

2026-09-28 18:55 UTC

Anarchism proposes a world without authority, which means no one can act in this manner and expect support and endorsement. This woman was brutalized; no one helped her and, worse, powerful people worked to support her rapists. A liberated world is one in which, *at worst*, no rapist could expect institutional support and, ideally, in which every would-be rapist could expect any potential victim to be empowered and supported to defend themselves, alone or with the help of others.

Replies (2)

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social 2026-09-28 19:01

Many people are uncomfortable with the idea of anarchy because they imagine that authority is all that stands between vulnerable people and their abusers, however inadequately. What they fail to realize is that these abusers *are part of that authority*, which is why abuse is so rampant in societies that pretend to be liberal, enlightened, safe, and equal. Anarchism does not propose to leave vulnerable people helpless to defend themselves. Anarchism proposes to strip abusers of their authority and empower vulnerable people.

Open ##4886274
@foolishowl@social.coop 2026-09-28 18:59

@HeavenlyPossum@kolektiva.social As things stand, we know that *defending* yourself from abuse is punished much more severely than committing abuse, when committing abuse is punished at all. This is a major reason why we object to "victim blaming", and why we need to support people who defend themselves as much as we can.

Open ##4887427