Safety Discussion - Handling Unsafe Situations as a Listener

Hi everyone! 😊

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a discussion on supporting a member feeling unsafe (find the discussion here: Supporting A Member Feeling Unsafe)

The unsafe situations discussed in that discussion are not limited to members only. Listeners are not free from unsafe situations on 7 Cups.

We will be going through some examples of situations listeners encounter on 7 Cups that hamper their safety.

• Inappropriate Chats

This is one of the most common unsafe situations encountered by listeners, especially new listeners.

Many people, misusing the site, sign up as members to seek sexual or inappropriate chats with listeners, who are just volunteers and trained to provide emotional support. This can be stressful and distressing to new listeners.

• Offsite Contact

This is where the member/listener asks the listener to connect outside of 7 Cups, usually on a social media platform or in person.

Example:
Sometimes, members will claim that they cannot utilize the voice/video chat feature or are uncomfortable using messaging to chat, and will request the listener to move to another platform so that the member can feel more comfortable chatting/can receive proper emotional support. That is NOT allowed, as it endangers your anonymity and safety.

• Harassment

Harassment, also known as cyberbullying, refers to using Internet and online platforms to threaten, embarrass or humiliate individuals, or spread rumors about them online.

There have been a lot of times where listeners were harassed in 1-1 chats as well as in rooms and forums, based on various reasons like gender, country, listeners’ own listening styles etc.

• Doxxing

This is where another user publishes your private and identifying information on the Internet (usually on social media platforms and public forums) without your consent. It is a scary experience for the listener, as it can lead to unwanted messages, spam, and further harassment.

Example:

Sometimes the listener will get a message from a member/fellow listener that they’ve spotted the listener’s 7Cups information being shared on another platform, along with critical review about the listener. Whether the information being shared is true or not, it can lead to stress and panic for the listener.

• Blackmailing

Here, the other person can threaten you with publicizing information about you (whether true or false, and is usually damaging information), unless you meet their demands. It is usually done for personal gain or revenge.

As a listener, what can you do to handle unsafe situations on 7 Cups?

• Use warnings before ending the chat

If someone is being inappropriate in your 1-1 chat, you can let them know about the site guidelines and tell them that this is not allowed on 7 Cups. If they persist after 3 warnings, it is totally okay to end the chat. If they continue to message you after you’ve ended the chat, you can report them

• Report

Screenshots and this helpdesk link are your best friend whenever you want to report the situation.

• Utilize mute button in chat rooms

If harassment or bullying is happening in a group chat room, you can call in a mod (or handle the situation, if you’re a moderator), or use your personal mute button to put some distance between yourself and the situation.

• Seek peer support

If an unsafe situation on 7 Cups has left you upset, it’s a good idea to request peer support. Peer Supporters are listeners who’re trained to support you after negative experiences on 7 Cups. 

You can request peer support through Adult side’s Listener Support Room or teen side’s Teen Listeners

They are NOT here to help you with your personal issues. For personal issues, we recommend switching to your member account.

• Change your username if necessary

If you have a stalker, a username change, along with a change of profile picture and bio, is a good approach to lose the stalker. Here’s the username change policy (with the form inside): How do I change my username?

Questions for listeners:

1. Which kind of unsafe situations have you encountered on 7 Cups?

2. Any more tips to stay safe while on 7 Cups, in addition to the one shared above?

If you have spotted a profile that needs to be flagged, feel free to report them here

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Useful resources:

• Username change policy (and username change form inside): How do I change my username?

• Report unsafe situation through helpdesk here

• Listener Support Request form for requesting peer support after a bad experience: Listener Support Request form