Awareness at events at LUH

Awarness means to be aware of and informed about certain issues of behavior. In general awarness focuses on a mindful and respectful dealing with each other. The main part of events concerning awarness  is to offer safe spaces and contact persons in case of discrimination or unrespectful treatment. All members of LUH should follow the central guidelines: abusive and discriminatory behavior as well as not respecting personal boundaries is not tolerated.

Awarness is a concept which came out of the feminist and queer movements in 2007. The concept is intersectional and includes especially people who get multiple times affected by discrimination.

The main goals of awarness work and awarness concepts are:

• to create a non-discriminatory space
• to strenghten the consciousness about emotional border-crossing 
• to work against structural inequalities so that all people can feel save at events like workshops, meetings, conferences, lecture weeks and partys

Principles of awarness work are:

• It focuses on the needs and wellbeing of people who are searching for support. Solidarity is most importantly.
• Individual boundaries of all should be respected at any time.
• Power of decision: Every person decides on its own if a situation was abusive and only the preson itself has the right to decide which steps should be taken to deal with this situation.
• Abusive, emotional cross-border and discriminatory behavior is not tolerated.

Events can be made safer through an awareness concept. At the same time awarness concepts strenghten the consciousness about not-respecting personal boundaries and unrespectful behavior.

It is useful to think about the following questions and points in advance of an event to guarantee a respectful atmosphere:

• Which people are expected to come to the event?
• Which needs to this people have?
• Do all rooms have a barrier-free acces?
• Awarness team: Who could be a member of this team? How can people recognize the team? 
• Is there a security staff at the event? If so this people should also know the awarness concept and the awarness team.
• Retreat spaces:  Aawarness concepts should include the offer of a reatreat room where people who don't feel safe or experienced discrimination can rest. This room does not have to be used only in abusive situations. It can also be used by people who need a break or don't feel well for other reasons.
• Offer of information about the way home: plan of public transportation, taxi companies, phone numbers especially for ways of transporation for women during nigth.
• Advertising: sexist or dirscriminatory language or intentions are not tolerated. Advertising should be free of any discrimination.
• Offer of free table water if possible.

The goal is to create a safer space for all.

Important: The awarness concept should be published in time (preferably in different languages). It has to be visible for all people at the event and should also inform about the awarness team. Used can be sentences like "You can recognize our awarness team by wearing t-shirts with green inscription".

The job of the awarness team is to be aware of discriminatory treatments and to deal with situations that happend. It supports people who got affected by discrimination if they need help. The team observes the happening and the atmosphere of the event. At the same time it initiates preventive actions if necessary.

Therefore it contains:

• The awarness team supports and protects people who got affected by discrimination. It also acts preventive and observes the happening at the event.
• The members of the team know the awarness concept of the event, all important contact persons as well as advice centers and also ideally know the location very well.
• Responsibilities are seperated in different focuses if necessary. 
• The more diversity the group composition of the team could show the more people can identify with the team. This increases the possibility that people report abuses. We recommend: The team has an euqual representaion of gender. At least one FLINTA*-person¹ has to be in the team.
• If there is access to alcoholic drinks at the event: The awarness team does not drink alcohol.
• Reachability: The awarness team should always be reachable and visible. For example trough signs, certain clothing, noticeable bracelets or buttons. The team should ideally show presence all the time at every place (for example while walking trough every room).
• Important: If members of the team do not feel save, secure oder overwhelmed in a certain situation they should contact others for support or delegate their responsibility to others.

Notice: 

Ideally the members of the awarness team have learned how to act as awarness person so they can support and give advices directly. Untrained people can also be part of  an awarness team as long as this is communicated to others. Teams of untrained members take care of the so called refferal advice: They are the first contact person for abuses but don't give advices by themself. They inform about advice centers and other offers of help.

Awareness-guideline  Autonomes Feministisches Kollektiv and SB-Stelle Frauen-und Geschlechterpolitik of AStA at Leibniz University.

act aware: initiative for more awarness during events

Initiative Awareness: consultation, supervision and education concerning sexuallized violence and discirmination during events

Safe the Dance: Agency for Awareness, Inclusion, Diversity & music business Know-how