RE: Cunliffe.pdf /Sexual Harrassment Statement from AWOL ||| WARNING: May Contain Triggers

Since the release of the Cunliffe.pdf this morning concerning sexual harrassment by a man within the activist and anarchist community, which can be found here, (many thanks to Leila and Anna and everyone else who helped with this, also thanks to James who wrote a short blog on the statement), there has been wide support for the statement release which has 3 aims:

● To ensure that others, particularly women, are aware of his behaviour and thus can make an informed decision about whether they feel comfortable having any kind of relationship with him;

● To ensure the safety of women, within Merseyside in particular, and to allow those who own or take care of places with a ‘safe spaces’ policy to consider whether they should continue to grant him access;

● To encourage political organisations to consider their policy on the safety of their female members and how they can avoid compromising this.

However, there has also been opposition to the statement, a particular incident I noticed was by another male in the activist and anarchist community whose response was, quite frankly, disgusting:

“That’s not justice that’s vengeance” / “adam, how about I give you a bit of advice? Take that fucking tweet off my timeline” / “is this what you call justice?”.

I am a 17 year old, 16 at the time inappropriate messages were first sent, who Paul Cunliffe harrassed. I am being relatively open about my experience, both on this blog post and in my statement on the .pdf, for two reasons.

1) I will not hold back in taking action if any harrassment of any kind follows my releases, or if any attempts at harming me are made.

2) I have come to the understanding that some people are doubtful about the claims made. I am putting myself forward as a non-anonymous survivor in this blog so that I can respond to those against the statement as someone directly involved in the situation.

Dear @blacbloc. No, this is not what I call ‘justice’/ This is what I call making women aware of a 28 year old man with a history of sexual harrassment,  with those he has sexually harrassed including 16 and 17 year old’s. This is what I call prioritising the safety of females, an oppressed group in society. As someone who has been on the recieving end of Paul Cunliffe’s sexual harrassment, as someone who has felt uncomfortable with detailed, sexually explicit texts [not limited to ‘how would you suck my cock?’ or ‘i’d like to fuck your young body’] at the age of 16 and 17 by a 28 year old after I told him to stop, as someone who felt compelled to reply for fear that malicious things would be said about me within the activist and anarchist community which would lead to my presence in certain areas being unwelcome and potentially being treated with hostility (a fear that came about after two women he told me malicious things about who had rejected his advances told me about their experiences, describing him as potentially dangerous and capable of violence), as someone who, after arguing with Paul on this matter until he actually stopped sending me such texts, tried numerous times to help him end this behaviour, as a female having to justify a statement to a male, a statement released in order to protect women from a sexual harrasser who could be dangerous, I’ve got to say, I’m disgusted. As for your question “is this what you call justice?” – no, blacbloc, I don’t. I do, however, call Castration of sexual harrassers/assaulters ‘Justice’, unfortunately that isn’t allowed. The statement is there in order to help create safe spaces for women and make women aware of what type of character they are dealing with.It’s aims are laid out very clearly, and the existence of such a document is justified, whether or not your privileged self agrees with that.

– @SmashKyriarchy (female, feminist, human, anarchist.)