Facing online harassment

The resources below are for any Notre Dame employee who is subjected to online harassment related to their work for the University. Guidance for supervisors of those employees is available here.

Consider your physical safety first

• In the event of an immediate threat to your well-being on campus, dial 911 from a campus phone or 574-631-5555 from a cell phone.
• If you are concerned about your physical safety, or safety as a result of the harasser(s) knowing where you live or work, contact the Notre Dame Police Department at 574-631-5555 and/or your local police department.
• Contact NDPD at 574-631-5555 for assistance creating a safety plan for home and work.
• Contact your supervisor, chair, or dean to help guide you through additional steps.

Collect and preserve evidence

• Do not disable any accounts without first addressing how to document evidence (see step-by-step response guide). Preserving evidence is critical to the University’s ability to effectively investigate and respond to reports of abuse or harassment.
• Be sure to collect screenshots of any relevant messages or other harassment.
• Consider who can assist you in this process if documenting evidence is stressful or triggering.

Quiet the noise

• If the harassment is coming from a particular channel, consider “muting” that channel. For example, turning off notifications, refraining from using social media, or working with the Office of Information Technology (OIT) to filter or divert harassing emails away from your primary account.
• Take steps to protect your online identity. The OIT can help.

Decide if you should respond

• In general, it is best to refrain from engaging with the person or accounts initiating the harassing behavior (often referred to online as “trolls”).
• If you are seriously considering responding, weigh the advantages and disadvantages before moving ahead. The decision as to whether to respond to harassing statements (including how and when) should be made only after careful review of the situation.
• The University’s Strategic Communications staff (Carrie Gates Jantzen for media relations or Liz Harter for social media) can be a resource to you as you decide whether and how to respond.
• Consider if a response may:
  • Increase the potential for physical risk to you.
  • Inflame the online situation unnecessarily.

Consider if you would benefit from mental health support

• You can access an array of personal support services provided by the University, including ND’s Employee Assistance Program and the Notre Dame Wellness Center.

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Step-by-step response guide

This checklist should be used by any Notre Dame faculty or staff member facing online harassment related to their work for the University. Consult the Resource Contact List for specific contact information.

• First, if you are concerned about your physical safety, contact the Notre Dame Police Department at 574-631-5555. In the event of an immediate threat to your well-being on campus, dial 911 from a campus phone or 574-631-5555 from a cell phone.
• Keep a record: Because social media and other online comments are ephemeral, you should preserve them as soon as possible by taking screenshots that show as much relevant information as possible, including the message, the sender/poster, the online location, and the date and time, if possible. Keep the screenshots in a safe location, and consider organizing them in a log.
  • Describe the nature of the harassment: ____________________________________
  • When did it start? ______________________________________________________
  • How has it developed? __________________________________________________
  • Where is it happening (emails, specific social media platforms, voicemail, other): __________________________________________________________________
  • List anyone else who is affected: __________________________________________________________________
• Contact the Notre Dame Police Department to discuss safety planning for yourself and others who may be affected. NDPD will coordinate support from the Office of Information Technology, as it deems necessary.
• Consider “muting” the communication channel(s) where the harassment is happening (e.g., phone, email, social media accounts). See advice specific to Gmail accounts here.
• Communicate and coordinate with your direct supervisor, department chair, or dean, so that they understand the nature and severity of the harassment, and can communicate with others in the department or lab who may need to know (e.g., administrative staff who answer the phone). Guidance for supervisors is available here.
• If you are a member of the faculty, communicate and coordinate with the faculty affairs specialist in your unit or in the Office of Institutional Equity. The specialist can help mitigate potential effects on your teaching or research.
• Communicate and coordinate with University Communications regarding whether, and if so how, to respond.
• Consult these resources from the Office of Information Technology about protecting yourself online.
• If you have not already engaged the Office of Institutional Equity, consider doing so if the harassment is based on a protected characteristic (e.g., race, sex, national origin, etc.). The Office of Belonging, Engagement, and Mission can also be a resource.
• Consider seeking personal support from the University’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by Carebridge, or resources provided by the Notre Dame Wellness Center.

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