Responding to Resistance

It is useful to have a clear plan in place around how you will respond to any forms of backlash or resistance that may emerge in response to your campaign or community project.  

Take some time to ensure you are familiar with the evidence and the key points you want to get across.

If your campaign includes social media, have a plan for monitoring your platforms after hours, or turning off comments if you anticipate your campaign could attract backlash.  

When dealing directly with backlash, it is important to identify if a response is needed. Here are some questions to help you to determine this: 

• Will a response have a positive effect in the long term?  

• Is the response damaging to the key messages of the campaign? Or damaging to the organisation(s) associated with the campaign?  

• Will your response support the promotion of the campaign’s key messages? 

Your response should hold true to your group’s values and the key messages associated with the campaign.  

Take your time and try to be comprehensive in your approach. Prepare a response that is authentic, honest, strengths-based, and proactive.  

Be solutions focused. Spend more time talking about people’s role in the solution and less about their role in the problem. This way you avoid activating shame and defensiveness. 

Resist the temptation to pander to arguments put forward by those who excuse or minimise men’s violence against women or engage in myth-busting. Instead, focus on telling your story to the people who are most likely persuadable on the issue. 

Looking to grow your confidence in preparing your key messages and responding to resistance and backlash? Check out our training suite and book your team into a workshop via the link below:

WHLM Workshops  

Evidence gathered by Common Cause Australia shows that values-based messaging is a powerful communications tool to shift people’s attitudes and beliefs, and mobilise decision-makers and communities to take action toward positive social change. 

Core values are at the heart of values-based messaging. Instead of leading off with problems, narratives that first link to shared values have proven more effective at shifting opinions and actions toward progressive solutions. 

The following evidence-based frameworks and guidelines will support you to frame your messaging and respond to resistance: 

• Framing Gender Equality — Common Cause Australia  

• Common Cause Handbook — Common Cause Australia 

• Framing Masculinity — Common Cause Australia 

• Messaging This Moment: A Handbook for Progressive Communicators – Centre for Community Change 

Here is a list of other useful resources to support your preparation and response to resistance: 

• Preparing for backlash -Respect Vic
• Facing resistance in your work – Safe and Equal
• Resistance and backlash in primary prevention of violence against women – Our Watch
• Passing the Message Stick Conversation Guide 
• Overcoming Resistance and Backlash – Safe and Equal
• (En)countering resistance – VicHealth