Upcoming events.
What about Child Sexual Abuse? How family policing perpetuates harm
Join abolitionist organizers Chanelle Gallant, Tashmica Torok, zara raven and Shannon Perez-Darby as we discuss how our collective inability to address child sexual abuse perpetuates the harms of family policing.
Many organizers use the term “family policing” rather than “child welfare” to recognize the ways the system surveilles, punishes, and separates families, especially Black, Indigenous and low/no income families, rather than providing for their well-being.Child sexual abuse (CSA) is both a primary justification for these systems and an all too common experience by young people forced to into them.
As we call for the abolition of family policing, even people critical of these systems pause and ask,"But what about child sexual abuse?" Don't we need these systems to keep children safe?"Family policing and mandated reporting are not designed for the safety of children and families yet so many people feel as those these systems are a necessary part of children's safety. This false dichotomy is a trap that limits our visions of what's possible.
Join in this virtual event as we imagine a word that abolishes all forms of policing AND centers the safety and self-determination of young people.
This event will be a panel discussion with time for Q&A. We will be using zoom generated captions. A recording will be available for one month after the workshop for registered participants.
Tuesday, May 26th
4-6 pm ET/3-5 PM CT/1-3 PM PT
Registration is sliding scale $1-25
For questions please reach out to Shannon@accountablecommunities.com
This event is brought to you by the Accountable Communities Consortium, the Mandatory Reporting is Not Neutral project and the How to End Family Policing: From Outrach to Action anthology.
Accountable Communities Consortium uses transformative justice princples to support people, organizationa and communities to be in right relationship with each other.
The Mandatory Reporting is Not Neutral project works to share survivor stories about the impact of mandatory reporting, educate communities on harm reduction practices and change the conditions that lead to violence and abuse.
With contributions from over 20 leading abolitionist organizers, How to End Family Policing: From Outrage to Action is a much-needed intervention arguing that the systems that purport to protect children make them—and our communities—less safe.
Bay Area Community Book Launch and Conversation
Join us on Thursday January 29th from 5:30-8:00pm at the UC Burkeley School or Law, Goldberg Room 297
Social Work & Family Policing: From Clinical to Legislative Change
Mandated Reporters Against Mandated Reporting is excited to invite you to our New York City book launch of How to End Family Policing: From Outrage to Action. Join us to discuss efforts to reduce mandated reporting, from clinical to legislative change!
For nearly 6 years, Mandated Reporters Against Mandated Reporters has been a peer support and organizing space for social workers, social service and mental health workers, and others who are mandated by law to report suspicions of child abuse and neglect to “child protective” services–but who believe this practice does more harm than good.
This new book includes a chapter from our co-founders urging people in helping professions to resist this and all other practices that criminalize families–especially Black families, whom the NYC Administration for Children’s Services investigates at a rate 7 times higher than white families.
Our book launch will be joined by the Network to Advance Abolition in Social Work (NAASW), the NY Mandated Reporting Working Group, and Cafe Con Libros who will be selling copies of the book!
📅 Thursday, January 15th at 6:30pm-8pm
📍 The People’s Forum / 320 West 37th Street / New York City, NY 10018
Chicago: Mandatory Reporting Harm Reduction Workshop
With an introduction from Erica Meiners, facilitated by Shannon Perez-Darby and special guest Shira Hassan, this workshop will explore the way that mandatory reporting is used to criminalize families and communities. Together we will discuss why mandatory reporting is not neutral, how mandatory reporting and family policing connects to other forms of criminalization and how to resist calls to “comply in advance.”
This workshop is for educators, social workers, youth workers, those in the public health realms and all community members impacted by mandatory reporting and family policing. Come to learn about why these laws are harmful and how to resist!
📅 Wednesday December 3rd 6:30-8:00pm
📍 Haymarket House, 800 W. Buena, Chicago
Chicago: Pilsen Community Books
Join BYP100, Mothering is Radical (MAMAS), and Pilsen Community Books in celebrating the publication of How to End Family Policing: From Outrage to Action as we explore all the ways that family policing impacts our communities. From the policing of families, attacks on bodily autonomy, and undermining the self-determination of people experiencing violence and abuse, the family policing system is an often ignored tool used to criminalize our communities.
Contributors Charity Tolliver, Erica Meiners, jaboa shawntaé lake and Shannon Perez-Darby will join us to discuss how the family policing system impacts our lives and the ways that, together, we can build flourishing communities.
📅 Monday, December 1st from 7-8pm
📍Pilsen Community Books, 1102 W 18th St, Chicago, ILpil
Haymarket Virtual Book Launch
Update:
New date!
We're excited to announce the new date for this event. Join us for a virtual book launch of How to End Family Policing: From Outrage to Action, a much-needed intervention arguing that the systems that claim to protect children make them—and our communities—less safe.
📅 Monday, December 1st
🕐1-2:30pm PT/3-4:30pm CT/4-5:30 pm ET
If you already registered for the previous date, there is no need to re-register, you're good to go.
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Based on decades of experience, organizing, and research, How to End Family Policing argues that the child welfare system cannot build genuine safety. In fact, rather than the misleading language of "child welfare," many scholars and activists describe these institutions as "family policing." Drawing on abolitionist principals, this much-needed intervention shows that no kinship network benefits from investigation, surveillance, policing, or forced separation. Contributors include community organizers, parents, civil rights attorneys, scholars, social workers, and survivors of family policing.
Dorothy Roberts, Andrea Ritchie, and Erin Miles Cloud will discuss the historical context of the family policing system and, vitally, how organizers have strategized against it.
***Register through Ticket Tailor to receive a link to the live-streamed video on the day of the event. This event will also be recorded and captioning will be provided.***
This event is sponsored by Haymarket Books @haymarketbooks
Seattle Book Launch
Join us to celebrate the publication of How to End Family Policing: From Outrage to Action (Haymarket) as we explore all the ways that family policing impacts our communities. From anti-abortion legislation, the policing of families, bans on gender-affirming care and undermining the self-determination of people experiencing violence and abuse, the family policing systems is an often ignored tool used to criminalize our communities.