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The term “human rights defender” (HRD) encompasses a broad spectrum of individuals and groups. As defined by the United Nations in 1998, HRDs are those who, individually or collectively, act to promote and protect human rights. This definition is intentionally inclusive, recognizing that anyone can be a human rights defender, regardless of their professional background or formal affiliations.
HRDs are at high risk of adverse health and safety outcomes. They face significant mental health challenges, particularly when the defenders are from a marginalized community and work on issues related to their identities and their communities. Through a series of interviews with HRDs involved in the anti-law enforcement violence movement, my research team learned about the particular risks faced by HRDs in the United States who have lost a loved one to law enforcement violence.
The multifaceted risks faced by human rights defenders
HRDs around the world face a complex web of risks. These dangers fall under several categories: physical safety, legal and criminal risks, economic challenges, mental health impacts, and surveillance and privacy violations.
The most recognised risk to HRDs is the threat to their physical safety. This danger can take various forms, including direct violence and assault, ranging from beatings to torture and abduction at the hands of both state and non-state actors. Tragically, hundreds of HRDs are killed each year. Front Line Defenders reported over 300 killings in 2023 alone, and this figure likely underestimates the true toll.
While not as often discussed, other risks are just as severe. These include the criminalization of protest and activism, spurious lawsuits, or legal proceedings designed to hinder their work and drain their resources. Ostracization and or stigmatization within their communities leads to social isolation. The chronic stress and trauma associated with human rights work can have severe mental health consequences.
The unique struggles of defenders who have lost loved ones to law enforcement violence
In the United States, HRDs who have lost family members or loved ones to law enforcement violence face an exceptional set of traumatizing experiences that go beyond the already significant challenges associated with the loss of a loved one to violence. We identified four common risk factors that contribute to this:
1. Dehumanization and criminalization by the media
Traditional media often relies on official statements from law enforcement, which emphasize perceived threats and reinforce that the officer is justified in their use of force. Victims of law enforcement violence are regularly portrayed as criminals in an effort to justify their deaths and shift the focus elsewhere.
Shortly after the death of her son in 2022, Monique Johnson shared with us her experience of how the media portrayed the situation, saying, “They always put their own narrative out there so that people think that he’s the bad guy.” Monique’s experience mirrors that of all the other activists that we interviewed. This negative portrayal can have severe consequences, including exacerbating grief, traumatization, and a loss of social support, as community members withdraw their assistance based on these representations.
2. Recurring exposure to law enforcement violence
Each new incident of violence reopens the wounds. With over 1,000 people killed by law enforcement in the United States each year, the reminders are frequent and painful. Cindy Sundberg, whose son Tekle was killed in 2022, vividly described her experience: “Each event and each killing is like you just open up the wound, and they take a knife and stir it up. And you are just oozing pain.”
In the cases that receive substantial media attention, there’s an added layer of daily trauma. Courteney Ross, George Floyd’s fiance, described this experience: “It never stops. I know loss and grief don’t stop, but when you are faced with literally a symbol of your loved one’s murder every single day, it’s exhausting. It’s just—it’s fearful; it’s anxiety ridden.”
This recurring exposure leads to chronic stress, keeping defenders in a state of heightened alertness that can have severe physical and mental health consequences and affect their ability to process their grief and trauma.
3. Surveillance and harassment by law enforcement
Many HRDs report surveillance or harassment by law enforcement following the death of their loved ones, ranging from increased police presence in their neighborhoods to overt acts of intimidation. Such experiences contribute to a pervasive sense of fear and insecurity.
Matilda Smith shared her experience of constant fear after the officer who killed her son moved into her apartment building: “I was afraid for my life, and my daughter was, and my son as well.” This anxiety led her to move to a different part of town, but the feeling of being watched persisted. The psychological impact of surveillance can be severe, leading to a constant state of alertness and paranoid thoughts and behaviors.
4. Negative consequences of activism
All of the affected individuals with whom we spoke turned to activism to find purpose and healing after the death of their loved ones. As demonstrated by the examples above, among others, activists face multifaceted risks. “I’ve known people in this work that have died of a broken heart,” said Jeralynn Brown-Blueford, co-founder of the Alan Blueford Foundation. Other interviewees also described the emotional, physical, financial, and social toll of their work.
Activism can involve difficult physical labor; carrying protest materials for long distances, building temporary blockades, setting up and taking down sound systems and event spaces, and distributing supplies and resources are just a few examples. Marilyn Hill, whose son was killed in 1997 and has since been active in the anti-law enforcement violence movement, talked about the physical toll the work takes: “I had to load and unload and pick up heavy things…I ended up with a hole in my stomach, and it got bigger and bigger. I ended up having the most excruciating surgery that left me in a nursing home for a month after the surgery.”
The intense focus on activism can strain family relationships. According to Colette Flanagan, founder of Mothers Against Police Brutality, “People get confused; they don’t know what to do when you fight against the policeman. It has damaged our family. I basically lost my daughter. We’re estranged—we haven’t spoken in ten years.” Family estrangement can lead to a loss of crucial support systems, leaving defenders more vulnerable to burnout and emotional exhaustion.
Conclusion
Understanding the risks faced by HRDs in the United States is crucial not only for supporting individual defenders but also for ensuring the sustainability of human rights movements. As the rights community continues to grapple with issues of systemic injustice and human rights violations, we must recognize the human cost borne by those on the front lines of these battles and work towards creating safer, more supportive environments.