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Hacks for Preventing Beef

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Some of the most escalated situations in harm reduction spaces are conflicts between participants that are pre-existing and have nothing to do with the site.

Because of this, harm reduction leaders offered a few hacks to minimize or prevent these situations from getting out of hand before they got started:

  • Make it clear to participants that they should keep their internal conflicts outside your space.
  • Anticipate that people will break any boundary you set.
  • Do not participate, but keep an ear out for gossip about who has beef with whom so you can be aware if those parties should both arrive for services.
  • Treat everyone with respect.
  • DO NOT take sides—ESPECIALLY WITHOUT A TRANSPARENT PROCESS

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Hacks for Empathetic Active Listening

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Once you have grounded yourself during an escalated situation, next engage in active listening with the person who is agitated. This can seem counterintuitive or difficult when you are dealing with somebody who is, for example, screaming at you, and it may feel like you’re rewarding them for being completely irrational. But it is key to getting them more centered and grounded so they’re less agitated and less likely to become a danger to themselves or others.
Read this Hack

Universal Precautions and Workplace Safety

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Though not all harm reduction organizations or programs are in need of universal precautions or OSHA considerations, most are. It’s important when setting up a harm reduction space to take into consideration the important and real risks of harm reduction work. This includes the potential for entry and exposure to blood-borne pathogens as well as airborne pathogens.
Read this Hack