Over the past few months, ICANN community members have shared uncertainty with me about how to handle problematic behavior they've experienced or witnessed. To help with this tricky issue, I'll be publishing several blogs addressing the most common questions about responding to challenging behavior and perceived harassment in the ICANN community. This blog is the first of such publications.
The Ombuds Office takes all concerns and complaints of harmful, harassing, or uncivil behavior seriously. The health of the ICANN community, and the success of our multistakeholder model, depend on all participants feeling welcomed, respected, valued, and confident they will be treated with dignity. The Community Anti-Harassment Policy is in place for this reason. But it can be difficult to know how to address or respond constructively to behavior that is uncomfortable, unwelcome, or disruptive – whether you are impacted by it directly or witness its impact on other people.
A Safe Space That Respects Your Wishes
One message I'd like you to take away from this blog is this: The Ombuds Office is a safe space for you to discuss your concerns or questions about challenging behavior or harassment. Community member conversations with the Ombuds Office are:
- Confidential: Your identity will be protected.
- Off-the-Record: If you want a conversation to simply explore options, the Ombuds Office will not keep a record of this conversation.
- Protected: Retaliation is prohibited against anyone who contacts the Ombuds Office or participates in an Ombuds process.
You don't need to have everything figured out before you contact the Ombuds Office:
- You don't need to be certain that the behavior crossed a line – often unwelcome behaviors are in a gray area of what is (in)appropriate.
- You don't need to know what you want to do about it – we can talk through what happened and discuss options, and if you're not ready to speak about an experience, we can talk through a hypothetical scenario.
- You won't be forced to file a complaint – you decide how you want to respond to or handle an issue.
Raising Concerns on Behalf of Other People
The Ombuds Office is here for the whole community, and is available at any time. You can contact me if you've been on the receiving end of unwanted behavior or if you have observed behavior that you believe is inappropriate. Likewise, you can speak with me if think you may have inadvertently offended or harmed someone yourself to discuss how to repair or correct such a situation.
You can also raise a concern on behalf of another community member. This can be a great help to people who want to remain anonymous, or who don't feel comfortable speaking with the Ombuds in English, for example. In this case, it is best if you have permission from the other person and position yourself as a support to them, so that they remain in control and can decide if and how they want to address the issue. What we want for another person might not be what they feel comfortable with for themselves.
If you don't have the other person's permission, but someone's behavior makes you concerned about the safety of a person or the community in general, please do still speak with the Ombuds Office about the situation. In some situations, the Ombuds Office can take steps to protect the community without raising an attributed concern or complaint. In all circumstances, the Office will handle the matter with the greatest care and confidence.
Questions? I Want to Hear From You
This blog series aims to serve you. I want to answer the questions that are on your mind about challenging behavior and harassment – no question is too small or too simple.
Tell me via this anonymous link: What questions do you have about challenging behaviors and how to respond to them that I could address in this blog series?
Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions, concerns, or feedback; I want to hear from you: [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also use the anonymous virtual suggestion box to share feedback or ideas.
For more information about Ombuds Office services and support for you or your community group, please visit the Ombuds Office webpage.