Crash Override: How Gamergate (Nearly) Destroyed My Life

by Zoe Quinn

Silence in the face of abuse is not a solution; it’s what abusers want.

The principles of covering and studying online abuse in journalism and academia are the same: center the victim, prioritize consent, and treat them as a partner instead of a subject or a spectacle.

I’ve never seen a single instance where the people instigating abuse, even in the worst possible cases, thought they were the “bad guys.” There is always a righteous undertone.

Baking some ridiculously good cookies for my friends one night when I was feeling particularly like garbage helped me prove to myself that I could still do things. It doesn’t have to hinge on productivity, either—if you’re really good at being a friend, being there for someone else or Doing a Nice for them can help you remember your worth.

If you see retractions or debunking posts about popular subjects going around, consider signal boosting them even if you had nothing to do with the false information in the first place.

Secondary trauma and compassion fatigue are capital-T Things. Make sure you’re in a good place to help. If you’re trying to take a load off someone, you have to be able to carry it in the first place.

Also, you’re a person, too. You matter. Make sure you’re okay.

Crash has a resource center full of guides here: http://www.crashoverridenetwork.com/resources.html.