If a person is feeling troubled by unwanted attention

Subject : Social Studies

Question: If a person is feeling troubled by unwanted attention, the gesture is not romantic — it’s inappropriate behavior that can lead to sexual harassment. Read the scenario and consider how you would react in this situation.

You see someone you’re sitting next to in your English 101 class copy down the email address of another student from the attendance sheet that your professor passes around at the beginning of every class. You think it’s a little odd, but it doesn’t seem like a big deal at the time. In class the following week, you sit with Destiny, a friend from your dorm. She tells you that she’s been receiving a lot of anonymous, sexually suggestive “love emails” from someone who signs them, “Your crush in English 101.” She says that she’s scared and upset about this and wants it to stop. You recall what you saw last week and you strongly suspect you know who’s emailing Destiny …

Select the response that most closely describes what you would say to Destiny:

A. “I think I know who’s doing this, and if you want, I can just talk to them after class for you and tell them to stop.”

B. “I’m sorry this is happening, and I don’t want you to have to worry about it anymore.”

C. “I’m sorry that’s happening. I’d be upset if that was happening to me, too.”

D. “I think our Title IX Coordinator may be able to help. Do you want me to go with you to talk to them about this?”

E. “I can easily look up the email address of the student I think is bothering you and send them an email (from an email account that isn’t associated with my Student ID, so they won’t know it’s me) and tell them to stop.”

Expert Verified Solution:

Select the response that most closely describes what you would say to Destiny:

D. “I think our Title IX Coordinator may be able to help. Do you want me to go with you to talk to them about this?”

Explanation:

D. “I think our Title IX Coordinator may be able to help. Do you want me to go with you to talk to them about this?”: This is the most appropriate response. The Title IX Coordinator is trained to handle issues related to sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior in an academic setting. Offering to accompany Destiny ensures she has support while seeking the proper help and ensures the issue is addressed through the appropriate channels.

A. “I think I know who’s doing this, and if you want, I can just talk to them after class for you and tell them to stop.”: While this option shows a willingness to help, directly confronting the individual without formal channels could escalate the situation or make things worse. It’s better to involve appropriate authorities.

B. “I’m sorry this is happening, and I don’t want you to have to worry about it anymore.”: This response shows sympathy but lacks actionable support. Simply expressing concern without taking steps to address the situation does not help resolve the issue.

C. “I’m sorry that’s happening. I’d be upset if that was happening to me, too.”: This response expresses empathy but does not offer practical support or solutions to address the harassment.

E. “I can easily look up the email address of the student I think is bothering you and send them an email (from an email account that isn’t associated with my Student ID, so they won’t know it’s me) and tell them to stop.”: This approach is not advisable as it could further complicate the situation or lead to privacy issues. It’s more appropriate to handle such matters through official channels.