A history of events such as colonization and Residential School continue to affect the way we relate to each other today. Although it’s useful to understand the roots of Lateral Violence transformation can only take place when re-focus our energy on responding to it differently in our daily interactions with people! Lateral Violence is a learned behavior that can be un-learned. Therefore, we believe that Lateral Violence is subjective and that only YOU can define what YOU experience as dis-empowering. It’s human nature to look outside of yourself in order to validate how you feel in response to those people and events that cause you pain and suffering. Unfortunately, an outside party cannot define it for us. It’s important that you take the opportunity to self reflect and identify the behaviors that you personally experience as laterally violent or dis-empowering. Only once we are able to identify these behaviors can begin create a personal strategy for transforming our relationships.
Self reflect, build personal awareness and define Lateral Violence for your-self. Ask yourself, what is trying to happen? This is far more important than who is doing what to whom!
