Understanding Oppression

*Portions of content borrowed from the Oregon Sexual Assault Task Force with permission. Any adjustments made to curriculum are not reviewed by SATF. Trainers are not SATF trainers. Ground Rules

• Let’s revisit the ground rules that we’ve identified for this group. • What are some others that might be important for this conversation? Objectives

• Define oppression. • Identify how an anti-oppression lens fits into our work. • Look at how oppression intersects with gender based . • Differentiate between different types of oppression. • Develop skills to interrupt oppressive moments when we see them. Activity

• Draw a “slice of pie” for every identity that makes you up as a person. • Make each slice the proportionate size you think it impacts your life. • What are examples of things that might make up your pie? Activity

• Was there anything that surprised you? • Was there one slice that was bigger or smaller than you thought it would be? • Do any of your slices intersect with each other? If you took one away would it make another bigger? • What slices would people not be able to guess about you from meeting you? • Other reflections? Oppression Defined

How do we define oppression? A Definition of Oppression

• Oppression is the systematic and pervasive mistreatment of individuals on the basis of their membership in a disadvantaged group. It involves an imbalance in power, and one group benefiting from the systemic exploitation of other groups. It occurs on several levels: • Interpersonal • Cultural • Institutional • Structural

* Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Four Conditions of Oppression

• Dominant group has the power to create and enforce social norms and constructs for itself and others. • Target group internalizes messages. • Oppression is institutionalized. • Members of both groups play out socialized roles.

* Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Privilege

• Gives advantages to members of dominant groups at the expense of members of the target groups • Characteristically invisible to people who have it • People in dominant group often believe that everyone could have access to these Privileges if they work hard enough • stratified groups socially constructed

Prejudice: (a thought process) • an idea about the characteristics of a group • applied to all members of that group • unlikely to change regardless of the evidence against it Oppression prejudice + institutional power = oppression creates systems that discriminate against some groups and benefits another (the 'ism's) • • • • classism • • anti-semitism Types of Oppression

1. Personal: values, beliefs, feelings 2. Interpersonal: actions, behaviors, language 3. Institutional: rules, policies, procedures 4. Cultural: beauty, truth, right * Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Targets & Agents of Oppression Targets:group subjected to marginalization, violence, fewer "life chances."

Agents: group who benefits from privilege and power. also trapped by institutionalized system of oppression to certain roles

Tools of Oppression: systems, institutions, ideologies, , policies Elements of Privilege and Oppression

Privileged Group Oppressed Group Privilege is invisible to people with People are invisible and dehumanized. privilege. Defines what is normal. Defined as different, “other.” Seen as individuals. Stereotyping replaces individual experience, individual made to represent entire group. Privilege bestowed unconsciously and Blamed for their condition. automatically. Power and access to institutional and Limited access to power and all other economic resources. resources. Violence used to maintain power and Subjected to violence and threats of privilege. violence to maintain oppression.

* Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence Violence is Rooted in Oppression

• LGBTQ Community • Sex Workers

• Gender Minorities • Students with

• Communities of Color • Deaf and Hard of Hearing

• Students Experiencing Homelessness • Students who are intoxicated • Non-Traditional Students • Minors • Women • Undocumented Students • International Students

• Non-English Speaking Title IX

• Barriers to reporting • Institutional oppression • Access to services • Higher education • Others? Allyship

• What does it look like to practice allyship? • How can advocates help survivors navigate oppressive systems?