Community Accountability vs. Protection Culture

4 of 4 in the “Power, Responsibility, and Repair” Series

We talk a lot about consent, safety, and ethics.

But what happens when harm occurs in a community that prides itself on being “safe”? What happens when the person causing harm is someone respected, well-connected, or seen as a leader?

This is where the conversation shifts from personal responsibility to collective responsibility.

No matter how ethical you are as an individual, if the community you’re in protects harm-doers instead of centering survivors, that is not a consent culture. That is protection culture, and it puts everyone at risk.

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What Protection Culture Looks Like

Protection culture prioritizes reputation over repair. It leans on silence, loyalty, and fear. It makes it difficult to speak up without being exiled, discredited, or dismissed.