Monday, April 4, 2016

Women Forum Predators v Empowered Community (Denver event)

 
Women’s Forum:  Predators v. Empowered Community

     Sunday April 10 at The Mercury.  Doors open at 2:30pm, Forum from 3-5pm 

     This gathering continues the conversation we began in the WSLA forum on March 6. We’d like to begin defining a broad community basis for recognizing and responding to predatory behavior in our Wiccan-Pagan community. It’s open to all women who attended the March 6 forum, and to any other women from our community who are interested in contributing to this conversation.

    Don’t believe everything you've heard about the March forum, especially from people who weren’t present. If you want to be part of this conversation, please join us on Sunday, April 10.

    While predatory behavior can victimize men and women, this April forum is for women only, the better to address our own needs and concerns. Human beings have always shared information (both fact and hearsay) as a means of keeping themselves informed, strong, and safe. Sometimes, especially for women, this sharing was the best defense we had. What are the healthy and positive ways that we can do this? 

    Topics we’re likely to touch on: 

    Creating strategies of safe interaction for ourselves, our loved ones, and our Community. 

    What (if any) are our shared community mores? How we can recognize and better express them, and better respect each other? 

    How to spot warning signs of predatory behavior, and how to diffuse it. 

    What is “gas-lighting”? 

    Resources to report predation: Call the cops… or not? Some of what we’re talking about isn’t illegal. For example: What is inappropriate contact in a drum circle or other ritual space? What if you feel like your teacher is becoming more intimate than you’re comfortable with? 

    Resources for support: How can we best pro-actively support each other?

    Please bring your ingenuity for change, your desire for joyful and healthy connection, and especially your good intentions.

    Hawk Shadow and Renna Shesso will again be moderating.
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Some guidelines for this gathering:

    We will work on identifying problematic behavior and potential responses to it, not on naming any individuals or groups.

    We request that details and feedback from this meeting continue to move forth live among participants and friends, and not posted in on-line forums. Please respect this boundary!
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    Mercury Café, 2199 California Street Denver, CO 80205 (get there by the Light Rail station at 16th and Stout, come by bus or there's parking all around) 

    Doors open at 2:30pm, Forum from 3-5pm 

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