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how to handle a Misbehaviour from senior colleague?

Recently the user @Kilisi posted an answer in the link above stating that the OP should have slapped the aggressor back. I feel this is inappropriate advice and have DV. Retaliation as suggested could easily backfire for the OP, and rather than make the OP's position more defensible as an victim of a battery, could provoke more harm.

I also do not understand how the OP has lost face, given he was clearly the victim here of a criminal assault. The advisable suggestion is as @Joe Strazzere wrote in a comment to report incident to the police, and let them take care of it, which is their role as enforcers of the rule of law. The OP as a victim should not have no fear in going the official route. This also creates a documented trail which only further helps if necessary in the future, as to what happened that day.

For this particular user, I have noticed this common theme in many of his answers. A theme of distrust of the established system of law is evident.

How should these types of answers be handled by the SE community?

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    Considering the OP state that he didn't want to spoil his image at company, reporting a single slap to the police seems to be even a worst idea, though i agree that physical retaliation can either stop the bully or get worst, it's asking the OP to take a risky gamble.
    – Walfrat
    Sep 15, 2016 at 6:51
  • Relevant question on DIY meta.
    – Lilienthal Mod
    Sep 15, 2016 at 8:12
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    Same way any other question is handled.
    – Old_Lamplighter
    Sep 15, 2016 at 12:30
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    What is the purpose of this question? Are you advocating for censoring the answer?
    – Lumberjack
    Sep 17, 2016 at 18:56
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    "For this particular user, I have noticed this common theme in many of his answers. A theme of distrust of the established system of law is evident." What bearing does this have on your question?
    – Lumberjack
    Sep 17, 2016 at 18:58
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    Kirsili threatened to punch me once in a comment and has suggested violence many times in answers. I flag and mods let it continue.
    – paparazzo
    Sep 19, 2016 at 12:51
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    @Paparazzi - Just because you did not see any action taken does not mean that no action was taken. With a few rare exceptional situations actions taken against users by the powers that be are kept private.
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Sep 19, 2016 at 14:23
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    @Paparazzi you may see the effects of the intervention but pretty rare for the mods or SE staff to comment on specific situations or actions
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Sep 19, 2016 at 14:33
  • SO is a self-managing site. If you let it do what it naturally would/will do to such answers then it will be managed just fine. If they are posting bad answers they will be downvoted and/or removed and the user's reputation will dry up.
    – Ethan The Brave
    Sep 19, 2016 at 17:34
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    This isn't really an answer to this question (which already seems to have been answered well, IMO,) but on the question you're asking about, it's important to note cultural differences. If this had happened in most parts of the West, what you say would be completely right. However, the whole world is not the West. In some cultures, defending yourself would be viewed as the correct action against a bully and in some cultures the police would laugh at you for reporting that someone slapped you. Whether it was 'criminal assault' depends on local law that might not be the same as you're used to.
    – reirab
    Sep 20, 2016 at 1:21
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    Related: Penalizing blunt answers
    – user8036
    Sep 20, 2016 at 11:10
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    The OP of the post was attacked, Kilisi suggested an appropriate response given the attack. @Anthony isn't comfortable with people defending themselves and gets upset. Then he runs to meta to tell on Kilisi. Just want to make sure I'm on the same page.
    – Hobbes
    Sep 22, 2016 at 14:19
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    Many comments removed. Remember to be nice.
    – Monica Cellio
    Sep 23, 2016 at 20:22
  • What does "have DV" means ? Wikipedia page for this is not helping me understand it.
    – Pac0
    Jul 9, 2018 at 19:20

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Short answer: Down vote, flag or vote to delete if particularly offensive and move on.

You treat it just like any other answer you don't agree with. In general, if there is content in an answer that the community doesn't like, then it will receive down votes. It indicates to the OP that the answer is not a recommended option.

You can additionally:

  • Edit it yourself (it will go in the edit queue for users under 2k);
  • Users over 2k can edit directly;
  • Flag if there is offensive content requiring the answer to be deleted;
  • 20k users can vote to delete answers;
  • Leave a comment to the answerer as to why you disagree with it.

The community is pretty good at judging the validity of an answer. Use the tools at your disposal and if there are unsuitable answers, they will be dealt with. If it really needs to be removed as soon as possible because it's causing damage, flag it for a moderator to action.

*Note, I am not making comment on the answer linked in the question, I am speaking in general terms here.

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    Good points, many answers may be disagreed with, and I like the fact that, in almost all cases, it is the community that gets to discuss, debate, and dispute. Here, community standards are truly community standards and not what someone in an office decides what they should be.
    – Old_Lamplighter
    Sep 15, 2016 at 12:30
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    Good answer, I totally agree
    – Kilisi Mod
    Sep 16, 2016 at 6:58
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    I don't believe you should list editing it as an option. An edit should not change the intended message of the original author. I do agree if it's offensive you should flag it, and with delete votes from high rep users if and only if it is determined that the post harms the community by existing more than it helps, which in my experience is rather rare. And of course, I always advocate comments to leave feedback. I'd also add to this answer "Make a meta post to reach community consensus".
    – corsiKa
    Sep 19, 2016 at 20:02
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    @corsiKa. I agree with the editing. A few times, mine have been edited because someone got their knickers in a twist. Believe it or not, the post that so offended the person was one where I used the word "he". I went right back and put all of the "he"s back where I had them.
    – Old_Lamplighter
    Sep 20, 2016 at 19:22
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Just downvote it is the best thing to do. Saying that your answer is correct doesn't mean much if it hasn't been through the rigorous test of user voting. We all think we're correct.

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    "We all think we're correct." I don't ;)
    – Old_Lamplighter
    Sep 19, 2016 at 12:48
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    @RichardU except you.. the exception that proves the rule
    – Kilisi Mod
    Sep 19, 2016 at 16:50

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