ABSTRACT
All too often, anarchists assume that simply “being” an anarchist marks a stance against all oppression. The result is a lack of attention to issues such as gender. Gender and patriarchy are undertheorized in most anarchist thought; thus it follows that anarchism has not adequately addressed the practical concerns of women. Anarchists who also identify as feminists have struggled with these theoretical and practical tensions. A most obvious “practical” need of women is freedom from physical and sexual abuse, and response to such harms when they do occur. In this chapter, I explore the following question: How can we prevent violence against women and respond to such harms without relying on law and governmental authority?
