Standing up to hate: we are here with you!
Jiafa (Ben) Liu
“Don't give yourself a hard time for feeling a certain way. It's a messed up position you've been put in and there's no 'right' or ‘wrong’ way to feel. You're not failing if it bothers you, you're not failing if you're angry, you are not failing if you don’t feel 'tough enough'. A lot of emotions come with these situations, and you're totally allowed.” – Zoe Quinn
2020 has been a turbulent year for everyone. For those of you who have been following ANU’s student media, I’m sure you’d be aware of the recent news of Neo-Nazi Activity Documented Around Campus. Reportedly, ANU has already taken the appropriate steps to counteract these activities and many people, including ANUSA’s department officers, have taken a firm stance in condemning the relevant groups and their racist activities. This, however, does not make everything okay.
I just thought I’d use this blog entry to check in with everyone and check if everyone’s still doing okay – I know that a lot of us are going through all sorts of difficulties, be it financial struggles, academic pressure or work stress. At times like this, it’s important to make sure racism is not the last straw that broke our back.
People deal with racism differently. For me, I never fully understand what racial discrimination means and how to react to such harassment until I started studying overseas, when I spent 4 years in Singapore for high school and now in Australia for university. Until today, I am still not confident that I am educated enough about racism and know how to deal with racial harassment. The bottom line though, I suppose, is that there really is no shame in acknowledging this and I hope some of the advice below will help both you and me to take better care of ourselves and to be a better active bystander.
Self-care guide to healing from harassment
You are not to blame!
First and foremost, it is NEVER your fault to encounter racist incidents and harassment. All of us have the right to thrive without the burden of racism, regardless of the shape or form it takes.
Ask for help & speak out!
If you feel up to it, talk to people who care about you – be that a family member, a friend, a therapist, or an advocate. Know that it's ok to feel vulnerable, and to want and need support from people who are important to you. Sometimes talking it through with someone who supports and believes you can make all the difference.
Of course, there are no correct answers as to whether you should engage with harassers. After all, it is the harassers’ ‘responsibility’ not to harass you, and it is not your responsibility to always have the perfect response. That being said, studies have shown that 'fighting back' can reduce trauma in the long term. This, however, is a very personal choice. Only you will ever know how you can best-respond to these ‘harassers’ and what will make you feel the safest. Provided you feel comfortable taking your harassers on, this could be a good way to feel as though you are taking back control.
Educate yourself & engage with the facts!
This is rather self-explanatory, but reading this blog post is a good start of doing this – congratulations!
Think long-term!
Sometimes racism could be the last straw that broke the camel’s back. If that does happen, try to undertake an ‘energy audit’ to help you think about the positive and negative influences it has on your life moving forward. Think about all the things that give you energy, and things that make you excited. Then, think about all the things that may take that energy away from you. Be honest with yourself about what is draining you. And try to think about how you can deal with these negative or exhausting experiences. Take the time out to really meditate on how you’re feeling, and develop a strategy to deal with the things that sap your energy.
What can bystanders do? – the 5Ds of bystander intervention
If you do happen to witness racist incidents, and if you are comfortable stepping in, here are some ways in which you can intervene safely – always try to distract, delegate, delay, direct and document!
1. Distract
Take an indirect approach to de-escalate the situation. Start a conversation with the person being harassed or find another way to draw attention away from them. When you start that conversation your goal is to build a safe place. It can be about anything, literally anything –like “can you tell me where the nearest grocery store is” or “where did you get your dress?” Believe it or not – when you start to create that space with the person being harassed, the person harassing will know that the person s/he is harassing has everyone else’s support and will often start to back off. They stop getting the attention they wanted from that moment and start to disappear into the abyss.
2. Delegate
Get help from someone else. Find someone in a position of authority or someone next to you and ask them for help. Check in with the person being harassed. You can ask them if they want you to call the police.
3. Delay
After the incident, check in with them! Ask questions like “Are you okay? Can I sit with you? Can I walk you to where you need to go? What do you need right now?” , or use other non-verbal communication tactics. Sometimes the harassment is so quick that delaying it is the only thing you can do. We’re only human – we freeze, we get scared, and by the time we have wrapped our heads around what is going to do, it is over. But, trust me, even a little glance to the person who has just experienced harassment can sometimes help reducing trauma!
4. Direct
Assess your safety first and set a boundary with the person doing the harassing. Speak up about the harassment. Be firm and clear. Or you can also talk to the person being harassed about what’s going on to show support!
5. Document
It can be helpful for the person being harassed to have a video of the incident. Check to make sure something else is being done first. After it’s over, pass that documentation on to the person who was harassed and let them decide what they want to do with it.
I know these all sound really cliché, but I cannot stress enough how important it is for us to know how to step in safely! At the end of the day, we want you to be happy and be proud of being who you are. Know that no matter what happens, there are always people around you who will be there for you! 😊
Support is available at:
ANU Counselling: (02) 6178 0455 (8am-5pm, Mon-Fri)
Lifeline (Crisis Support Service): 13 11 14
Beyond Blue (Mental Wellbeing Support Service): 1300 22 4636 (Available 24/7)
Relevant Reports:
ANU Observer: “We are Racists”: Neo-Nazi Activity Documented Around Campus
ANU Observer: Alleged Racial Incident Deemed “Inconclusive” In ISO Tribunal
Are You Racist ANU? x Woroni series: Don’t Look Away
Are You Racist ANU? x Woroni series: Where Are You From? Like 'From' From?
Woroni: Yellowface And Whitewashing In Hollywood: Where’s The Progress?