Wikimedia Meta-Wiki

Training modules/Dealing with online harassment/slides/test-yourself-offering-support-and-resources

< Training modules | Dealing with online harassment
Translate this page
Other languages:

Test yourself: Offering support and resources

edit

This module will periodically present you with multiple-choice questions you can use to test your knowledge of the module you are studying. While more than one of the suggested answers may seem suitable, remember that you should try to pick the most suitable of the options.

You have just concluded a harassment investigation reported to you by a user targeted by harassment, User A. User A received "prank" phone calls from someone who claimed to be another Wikimedian, User B, but you have been unable to either verify or refute the alleged identity of the harasser, though it seems likely that B is the culprit. User A has not been subjected to any harassment on Wikimedia projects, and since the phone call behavior does not rise to a level of threat that would call for reporting it to the Wikimedia Foundation or the local police, you have reached the conclusion that there are no actions you can take that will resolve the situation.

Test yourself!
What should your reply to User A look like?
  1. Hello A, My team have been unable to verify that User B is the person who called your phone number, and as a result, we are declining your request for action against B and closing this file with no action. Please feel free to reach back out to us if you have any new evidence in the future. If you feel that your personal safety is threatened, in this situation or any other, please don't hesitate to contact your local authorities and/or the Wikimedia Foundation Emergency email team. (click to expand or collapse)
    This answer, while not entirely unsuitable, is overly terse and may make the victim feel that you do not believe their report. It also does not provide any recommendations to the victim of where they can reach out for further help.
  2. Hi A, It doesn't look like there's any proof that User B called you, and he denies it. We consider this matter closed since we were unable to verify your report. Please do not bring these allegations against User B up on-wiki, since they are unverifiable and would be considered harassment against B. I suggest that if you want to resolve the situation, you contact B directly to discuss it. (click to expand or collapse)
    This is not a good option because it not only may leave the victim with the impression that you do not believe them, but also threatens them if they seek further help. While it is true that a victim who reacts by persecuting their alleged harasser would be a behavioral issue, this case outcome email is not the appropriate place to bring it up, especially if you do not have specific reason to think the victim will do this. If you do have reason to think the victim might do it, there are better ways to make the point without sounding threatening.

  3. Hello A, I wanted to let you know that my team has finished our investigation into the report you sent us. Though we conducted a thorough investigation, my team can only act in cases where we are able to definitively prove the identity of the harasser and take actions on-wiki to stop the harassment, and those were not possible in this case. I apologize for what I know is an unsatisfying conclusion to the case for you, and I encourage you to reach back out to me or any other local user with advanced rights in the future if you experience further harassment or need assistance. I would also like to offer you a few other resources in case you find them useful:

    • Most importantly, if at any time you feel that your personal safety is threatened, in this situation or any other, please don't hesitate to contact your local authorities and/or the Wikimedia Foundation Emergency email team.
    • You may wish to reach out to off-wiki resources for either emotional or logistical support in dealing with this situation. Some really great hotlines and service organizations, most of which do not charge for the help they offer, are listed at http://mefiwiki.com/wiki/ThereIsHelp
    • If you would like to try something proactive about harassment against Wikimedians, next month the Wikimedia Foundation is going to be running a round of grant applications centered around preventing harassment on its projects. Applications will be accepted at [example page name]; you would be welcome there to suggest projects or discuss other people's projects. (click to expand or collapse)
    4. Well done! This answer makes a non-judgmental statement of the case's outcome, acknowledges the feelings of the victim, and offers them further non-Wikimedia resources.

  • Hello A, I am sorry to tell you that we are not going to be able to take any action to help you in this situation. Please understand that this does not mean that we don't believe your report, or that we are declaring people "innocent" or "guilty" in this situation. To the contrary, I personally am convinced that B is the person who placed those phone calls to you, and I will be keeping an eye on B's behavior in the future. However, since we couldn't definitively link B to the phone number that called you, there is not much we can do in this case.

    • In addition, I want to let you know that the Wikimedia Foundation is going to be running a round of grant applications next month centered around preventing harassment on its projects. That could be your chance to get the community to do something about the kind of behavior you experienced. You may also wish to reach out to off-wiki resources for either emotional or logistical support in dealing with this situation. Some really great hotlines and service organizations, most of which do not charge for the help they offer, are listed at http://mefiwiki.com/wiki/ThereIsHelp
    • Lastly, if at any time you feel that your personal safety is threatened, in this situation or any other, please don't hesitate to contact your local authorities and/or the Wikimedia Foundation Emergency email team. (click to expand or collapse)
    • This is a good answer, and is on the right track for a response to an upset victim, in that it expresses no judgment about the validity of the case and offers further resources. However, this response goes too far in sharing your personal feelings about user:B's guilt and urging user:A to get involved in a round of Grants specifically to advocate for their particular situation.


    (Discuss this question)

    Retrieved from "https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Training_modules/Dealing_with_online_harassment/slides/test-yourself-offering-support-and-resources&oldid=26451708"