This zine is aimed at anarchists thinking about how to deal with abuses of power and acts of domination in their communities. It brings together a collection of articles representing different approaches to this problem, from transformative justice-based accountability processes to retributive-based acts of survivor-led retaliation.

Focusing on lessons learnt from experiments in this field and concerns that persist about these methods, it offers possible ways forward for those looking for grassroots responses.

It is hoped this collection will help inform debates among groups starting to engage with these issues, with a view to supporting an appropriate and critical application of different responses.

Copies available online at dysophia.org.uk or for sale at the London and Manchester & Salford anarchist bookfairs. For questions, comments or responses contact a-legal@riseup.net

To download a pdf of the zine, click here.

From the introduction:

This zine looks at contemporary anarchist theory and practice on crime and justice, though it won’t be using these terms. The first half will be a critical examination of Transformative Justice-based accountability processes, an approach with origins in US anarchist circles now taking seed in parts of Europe. The other half looks at retributive approaches, such as survivor-led direct action against rapists.

On Crime argues that we need to reconsider what we understand as problem behaviour before searching for solutions. In doing so, it attempts to lay the conceptual ground for the subsequent discussions.

Beautiful, Difficult, Powerful presents an accountability process in detail. It is a zine in its own right and has been taken from the book The Revolution Starts at Home: confronting intimate violence within activist communities.

Accounting for Ourselves gives an excellent overview of the history and difficulties of accountability processes. Written by the anarchist collective, CrimethInc, it is very much rooted in US punk and DIY culture.

“Anarchist” rapist gets the bat and Communiqué are statements written by groups in the US who’ve taken direct action to physically confront their rapists.

Beyond Revenge & Reconciliation seeks to draw together the points of disagreement and lessons learnt to help develop a pragmatic and anti-dogmatic approach to dealing with oppressive behaviour in our communities.