SAFER SPACES: ONLINE COURSE GLOSSARY
While some are explicitly mentioned and others are not, familiarity with this collection of terms will be helpful for moving through this course.
Accessibility vs. Accommodations
Accessibility: easily used or accessed by people with disabilities vs. adapted for use by people with disabilities
Accommodations: the providing of what is needed or desired for convenience, the workarounds you can provide when full accessibility is not available
Active listening is a conscious, engaged effort to understand. It involves paying undivided attention, showing genuine interest through open body language and thoughtful responses, and confirming understanding by paraphrasing. Unlike passive listening, active listening is an engaged, conscious effort to comprehend the speaker's message and build a connection, rather than just waiting to respond.
Bystander - one who is present but not taking part in a situation or event : a chance spectator
Active Bystander - someone who intervenes to interrupt or prevent a situation that is or could be harmful to another person or group. Unlike passive bystanders who do nothing, active bystanders take responsibility and a proactive stance by using words and actions to challenge inappropriate behavior, offer support to those in need, or alert others to a situation
Bystander Intervention - the act of a witness taking action to address a harmful, harassing, or inappropriate situation, aiming to de-escalate or stop the behavior and offer support to those affected. Common strategies, such as the "3 Ds" (Direct, Distract, Delegate) or "5 Ds" (which adds Documentation and Delayed Response), provide a framework for bystanders to choose safe and effective ways to intervene and foster a safer community for everyone.
Consent - a clear, voluntary, informed, enthusiastic, and ongoing agreement between all parties to engage in a specific activity, especially sexual activity. It must be an active "yes," not a "no," and cannot be inferred from silence, passivity, or a lack of resistance. Anyone who is incapacitated by alcohol, drugs, fear, or is unconscious is unable to give valid consent.
Crisis Mode - a mental state of being so overwhelmed by a situation that one's usual coping skills fail, leading to a temporary inability to function effectively. It can be triggered by a single traumatic event or a series of stressful experiences. Being in “crisis mode” is a subjective experience, so it can look different for everyone.
A crisis response might include helping someone create a safety plan or using grounding techniques to get them out of “crisis mode”
De-Escalation - a method to prevent potential violence. Individuals are encouraged to use purposeful actions, verbal communications, and body language to calm a potentially dangerous situation
Grounding Techniques - used to help individuals stay present and calm in stressful or overwhelming situations.
Harassment - unwanted behavior that demeans, intimidates, or distresses a person, and can be verbal, physical, or visual, including offensive comments, gestures, and actions like stalking or bullying. It becomes unlawful when it is based on a person's protected characteristics (like race, gender, or religion), is repeated and severe enough to create a hostile environment, or violates a person's dignity.
Identity-based harassment - unwelcome behavior targeting someone based on personal traits like race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. It includes slurs, exclusion, or threats and creates a hostile or offensive environment.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) - abuse or aggression that occurs in a romantic relationship. Intimate partner refers to both current and former spouses and dating partners. Behavior can include physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, psychological aggression, and more.
Microaggression - a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority)
Oppression - unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power
Systemic Oppression - Systemic oppression refers to the entrenched patterns of discrimination and disadvantage that are built into the fabric of societal institutions, impacting marginalized groups through laws, policies, and cultural norms. This form of oppression operates at multiple levels, including social, economic, and political spheres, creating barriers that limit opportunities and perpetuate inequality across generations.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - a psychological reaction occurring after experiencing a highly stressing event (such as wartime combat, physical violence, or a natural disaster) that is usually characterized by depression, anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event—abbreviation PTSD
Safety Plan - a personalized, practical plan to improve your safety while experiencing abuse, preparing to leave an abusive situation, or after you leave.
Street Harassment - any unwanted, disrespectful, offensive, or threatening behavior—including statements, gestures, or physical actions—directed at a person in a public space, often based on their perceived identity traits like gender, race, or sexual orientation. Examples range from catcalling and unwanted staring to stalking and unwanted touching. While it can happen to anyone, women are disproportionately targeted. This pervasive form of violence can cause fear, anxiety, and distrust, limiting people's freedom to use public spaces and affecting their psychological well-being and mobility.
Trauma - a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury, an emotional upset, an agent, force, or mechanism that causes trauma
Trauma-informed care - a holistic approach that recognizes and addresses the impact of trauma on individuals and communities. By implementing TIC principles, organizations can create supportive environments that promote healing and recovery for those who have experienced trauma.
Victim-centered - A victim-centered approach is an overarching framework for responding to victims of crime and trauma that prioritizes their safety, well-being, rights, and individual needs throughout the process. It focuses on empowering survivors, promoting healing, minimizing re-traumatization, and actively involving them in decisions impacting their lives.