How Social-Justice Nonprofits Can Defend Against Public-Relations Attacks and More

The latest release of secretly filmed videos intended to implicate Planned Parenthood in wrongdoing has left other nonprofits worried about similar attempts from individuals or organizations that oppose their work.

Charities are right to be concerned, says Mary Ochs, a consultant with RoadMap, a social-justice support organization. Nonprofits’ outspoken advocacy and limited resources leave them vulnerable to what she calls “below the belt” attacks from opponents.

Unlike those engaging in normal debate about public-policy issues, perpetrators of these attacks are “trying to take down organizations, scare people, threaten them, in ways that don’t allow for honest democratic debate,” Ms. Ochs says. These events tend to spike during election years, she adds.

To help nonprofits prevent and prepare for opposition attacks, RoadMap created a report that details different types, including threats of violence, intimidation lawsuits, surveillance, and public-relations attacks. It also suggests ways charities can reduce their risks and explains how several groups have handled these kinds of assaults.

At the very least, Ms. Ochs recommends that nonprofits assess their own weaknesses and figure out how an opponent could exploit them: “I think anyone could benefit from doing an internal audit of your organization and having a crisis or safety plan in place.”

Read the full report on RoadMap’s site.