Unwanted Attention and Volunteer Support

Description: This is a staff training that addresses unwanted attention and Post support. The ultimate
aim for PCVs is to:
1. Understand that unwanted attention can be a manageable part of Peace Corps life
2. Recognize there are different ways of interpreting attention
3. Explore and practice a range of coping strategies within the context of the host culture

This training, however, is not geared for Volunteer training toward these three aims. Instead, it is
intended for staff to stimulate discussion, understand the issue, identify ways to support Volunteers,
and develop staff strategies for mitigating the problem of unwanted attention.

This package contains a series of activities:

An introductory Handout to reflect on an incident of unwanted attention
A pair-and-share activity, as a follow-up to the handout, for participants to consider multiple
ways of interpreting attention, and multiple ways of coping;
A brainstorm of the different kinds of attention Volunteers may receive;
A discussion of the Impact of Unwanted Attention, and Ways PCVs Cope;
A examination of reasons that PCVs might not talk to staff about the problem;
A discussion about what Peace Corps can do to help;
A cabbage activity inviting participants to reflect on statements and assumptions
A collection of small group mitigation tasks to generate ideas around:
1. Gathering information about unwanted attention back at Post
2. Building a community of connection to support PCVs
3. PST and IST design that addresses unwanted attention
4. How Site selection can help mitigate unwanted attention
5. An SOP for supporting PCVs in distress about unwanted attention
6. Community and Counterpart orientation
7. Role play to understand the Volunteer experience and mitigation techniques
A Closing activity, asking participants to state how they can apply something theyve learned in
the session when they return to Post.

Prerequisites: You can provide pre-read materials such as:

The Slice of Life: Coping with Unwanted Attention video and trainer guide are useful, if
somewhat dated, resources.
A related article, podcast, or video discussing social norms, unwanted attention, or sexual
coercion, such as this NPR story , this Huffington Post article , this TED talk or a COU essay.
A related policy such as IPS 1-13 Stalking
Other ideas for pre-reads would be Volunteers COS reports, an essay or video by a Volunteer
group (PSN, VSC, etc.), or incident report summaries that demonstrate the kinds of attention
Volunteers receive and its impact on them.

Materials/Preparation:
Flipchart paper. Lots of flipchart paper.
Cabbage pages crumpled into ball (from end of this session plan)
Group Tasks Handouts, according to the Group Tasks selected to conduct
Copy of IPS 1-13 Stalking, and access to Intranet (for one task group)

Page 1 of 43
 Session Title: Unwanted Attention and Volunteer Support

Date: Time: 2.5 hours Drafted: Neil Shouba, Makali Bruton

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify types of unwanted attention most commonly experienced by PCVs in their country, and
provide an example.
2. Explain different ways a PCV might interpret that attention.
3. Articulate the ways unwanted attention can impact PCVs.
4. Recognize ways PCVs might cope with unwanted attention.
5. Describe reasons PCVs may not want to discuss this topic with staff.
6. Discern what Peace Corps can do to support Volunteers around unwanted attention.
7. Given an assumption about unwanted attention, the SSC will reword and clarify the assumption.
8. Given a task for Post to mitigate unwanted attention, the SSC will work in a group to accomplish the
task.
9. Describe one take away about unwanted attention that the SSC will apply back at Post.
10. Discern what distinguishes stalking from other unwanted attention.

Maximum
Instructional Sequence Materials/Preparation
Time
Introduction

Why are we having the session about unwanted attention at the

end of a training devoted to sexual assault? Possible answers:
related phenomena but unwanted attention is more common,
building trust with PCVs and having conversations about unwanted
attention will reveal some assaults (groping), etc.
0:02
Being the focus of attention is a part of life as a Peace Corps
Volunteer. This session is intended to stimulate discussion
around unwanted attention. We will discuss types of attention,
identify ways to support Volunteers, and develop staff strategies
for mitigating the problem

Distribute Describe an Experience Handout

Describe An Experience
0:05 Instruct group to work on Part A only Handouts (double-sided
copies, with side A &B)
Individual reflection on unwanted attention incident

Page 2 of 43
 Collect and redistribute handouts

Pair and Share activity, complete handout Part B

0:13 Process the descriptions of PCV unwanted attention experiences;

Allow for multiple examples of experiences depending on the
number of pairs of SSCs.

Debrief
List Types of Unwanted Attention
Blank Flipchart
[Optional: plot kinds of attention on a probability/impact risk
0:10 [if using optional matrix,
matrix]
then need cards and big
matrix on wall to plot]
Discern what distinguishes stalking from other unwanted attention
Impact on PCVs
Blank Flip charts, with
0:15
headings
Ways PCVs Cope
List Reasons PCVS Might Not Talk to Staff
Blank Flip charts, with
0:15
headings
List What PC Can Do to Help
Assumption statements
0:20 Unwanted Attention Cabbage printed and crumpled into
ball
Break up into groups Select which Group
Mitigation Tasks to assign,
0:05
Assign Small Group Mitigation Tasks (instructions for each group and make copies of each
on handout) groups instructions
Intranet or related
0:25 Small Group Mitigation Tasks Group Work
policies (e.g., Stalking IPS)
0:30 Mitigation Tasks report-out Masking tape

0:10 Share one thing youve learned that youll apply back at Post

Page 3 of 43
Part A: Describe an Experience with Unwanted Attention in your Country

SSC Name: Country:

Being the focus of attention is part of life as a Peace Corps Volunteer. This attention may be verbal or
physical, threatening or nonthreatening. Consider one specific experience of unwanted attention
experienced by a PCV in your country. It neednt be the most threatening or disturbing experience
youve encountered, but instead consider a common or typical experience for PCVs.

Example 1: A female PCV is one of the last to board a bus to the capital, and a man sitting in the back row indicates she should
sit next to him in the only empty seat remaining. She sees no alternative, and sits next to him. Over the next several hours the
man presses close to her and tells her she is beautiful, stares, asks for her phone number, touches her hair, and insists they
should have sex once they arrive in the city.

Example 2: A Volunteers host family consistently tries to set him up with their female cousin. Every time they have a family
celebration, they seat him beside her. They tell him what a good wife she would make, and they regularly encourage him to
date her. Recently this cousin has been randomly showing up at his counterpart agency when he is there working, and she has
been sending him text messages. The Volunteer is not interested.

Example 3: Two women Volunteers are in a caf in a hub city hanging out. At another table are two host country national men
who smile at them, say hello, and send over drinks they have purchased for the PCVs.

I. Now, following these examples, write down one experience that a specific Volunteer in your
country has had with unwanted attention.

II. How did the PCV handle the incident? (What techniques did she or he use to handle it or cope?
Did she or he use any strategies to try and keep it from recurring?)

III. How did staff respond? What support was provided to the PCV?

Stop here! Do not continue on reverse side.

Describe an Experience Handout
PART B: STOP! DO NOT COMPLETE THIS PORTION UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.

An important consideration is that the same behavior can be interpreted in different ways. Some of
these differences in interpretation result from cultural conditioning (when you observe, imitate, and
eventually internalize behavior around you). When others have been conditioned in a different
cultureand observations dont mesh with their expectationsit can lead to misunderstandings,
frustration, and anxiety. In addition to cultural differences, there are significant personality differences
among individual PCVs in how they perceive attention.

Now, read the experience written by the SSC on the opposite side of this sheet. Then continue below.

IV. What are three different ways of interpreting the attention written by the SSC on the opposite
page, in section I? (Besides your own interpretation, what are 3 different ways a person might
understand or interpret the incident? E.g., flattery, annoyance, curiosity, rudeness, attraction,
friendliness, etc.)

A.

B.

C.

V. What factors can lead to this situation described in section I? (What aspects of culture
contribute? What assumptions might HCNs make about Americans? What expectations do
PCVs have about Host Country Nationals? Where do these differences and assumptions come
from?)

VI. How would this attention in section I affect you personally? Consider if it happened often
perhaps several times a weekwhat impact would it have on you?

VII. What are three different strategies the Volunteer could use to manage this attention? (Try to
think of a range of options both proactive and reactive to avoid, mitigate, reduce, preempt,
and/or cope with such attention).

A.

B.

C.

Describe an Experience Handout

Pair and Share Describe an Experience Handout and Debrief:
After SSCs have completed Part A, stop the group and collect all of the sheets.
You may quickly debrief the *writing* of the unwanted attention incident, if only to maintain
the groups attention as sheets are collected and redistributed:
o How hard was it to consider a common experience of unwanted attention and reflect on
PCVs experience? Easy/difficult? Interesting/simple? How did you select an incident
to write about?
Redistribute the completed (Part A) handouts randomly throughout the room.
Ask participants to pair up. Ask participants to read and discuss, in their pairs, the Experience
sheets they received, and to complete Part B on the reverse side.
Debrief of entire Experience sheets, both sides A and B:
o Reactions? What did you notice? Anything stand out for you? Surprised by something?
o Thoughts? Insights? Was there anything you could not relate to?
o What are some obstacles to staff understanding the Volunteer experience?
o What did you notice about staff support, or question #3?
o What does it mean that the same behavior can be interpreted in different ways, #4?
o How did people expect to be affected by the attention, question #6?
o Can someone give an example?
o What interesting aspects of culture did you discuss?
o Did you have trouble coming up with three different strategies for coping?
o What else came out of your discussions?
o Anything you would want to tell the SSC who wrote the incident on your sheet (part A)?
o What did you learn from your partner?
o What can you bring back to Post from the activity?
Examples of Insights:
o Unwanted attention can be a manageable part of Peace Corps life
o There are different ways of interpreting attention
o Need to explore/practice a range of coping strategies within context of host cultures
o Unwanted attention occurs in every PC country, as well as in the US (there are
organizations in the US formed to address this issue, such as Hollaback)
o There are different kinds of attention: threatening/nonthreatening, verbal/physical, etc.
o Some PCVs are skilled at handling attention
o Unwanted attention can be detrimental to PCVs ability to function
o PCV response to harassment can be surprising
o Sometimes attention is one-time, or can be a day-to-day constant experience
o Staff can play an important role in supporting PCVs
o The key is talk to PCVs, understand their experience, and help them feel like they can
manage the problem
o We can learn from one another in discussing these issues
o Staff display a range of responses
o We can take the focus off of what the PCV was doing, what she was wearing, etc. and
allow PCV to share, understand how she is interpreting, and what strategies she prefers

Page 6 of 20
Types of Unwanted Attention:

Explain/discuss: Volunteers experience attention in many forms; attention may be verbal or physical,
threatening or nonthreatening.

What are some of the different types, or kinds, of attention that Volunteers might experience? Lets not
discuss specific examples, but rather list the different broad kinds of attention Volunteers can
experience in different countries. [List ideas on flipchart, or write on large index cards]. For example:

Staring
Suggestive compliments
Crude, threatening sexually explicit public humiliations
Pushy questions (are you married?)
Intrusive checks by authorities
Derogatory remarks about personal abilities or conformity to gender norms (e.g., women are
bad drivers, real men dont wash dishes)
Offers to buy a drink, requests to dance
Requests for money or to borrow things
Offers of sexual intimacy or marriage
Anti-Americanism or criticism of US foreign policy
Pejorative nicknames based on ethnicity or nationality
Being approach by drunks
Negative stereotypes about gays, lesbians, bisexuals, or transgendered people
Cyber, facebook comments, etc.
Touching
Children heckling and pointing
Aggressive posturing
Following
References to coercive sexual practices, such as bride kidnapping
Groping of breasts or buttocks, or other forcible contact, that constitutes a reportable assault

[Optional: a facilitator can write each type of attention on a paper

or card, and then have the group place each card on a chart
according to frequency and impact, as in chart at right. If doing the
risk matrix, it may be helpful to select one subregion or country to
consider. E.g., In Central Asia]

[Optional: to move faster, the trainer could instead solicit broader

categories of attention, such as racial, economic, sexual, law
enforcement, etc.]

Explain: According to IPS 1-13 Stalking, what features distinguish an incident of unwanted attention
from stalking? Answer: Continuity of purpose, maintaining proximity or surveilling, threatening
conduct, fear of harm or emotional distress, trespassing, repeated conduct or in combination with other
action. [Optional: First hand out copies of IPS 1-13 Stalking, and instruct participants to highlight or
circle phrases or key points that distinguish stalking from unwanted attention.]

Page 7 of 20
Impact and Coping Discussion

Discuss: What are the some ways this unwanted attention can impact PCVs? Volunteers experience and
interpret attention in different ways, and are therefore affected by it in different ways. How might
serious or prolonged attention affect a Volunteer? (List brainstormed ideas on flip chart labeled Impact
of Unwanted Attention)

Some possible answers of how attention can impact PCVs emotionally:

Annoyance
Frustration
Anger at host culture
Fear
Distrust
Anger at Peace Corps
Anxiety
Sadness
Depression
Feels isolated, alone
Not wanting to leave house
Not wanting to interact with Host Country National men
Discouragement
Disappointment
Disgust
Amusement

Discuss: Any reactions, or thoughts about this list? Does it help explain any PCVs youve worked with?

What are some things PCVs do to cope or deal emotionally with this attention (not mitigate it). Keep in
mind that Coping means any action to reduce stress or frustration, so lets think of the range of things
PCVs might do to cope emotionally, or deal with the stress of unwanted attention: (list on flipchart
labeled Ways PCVs Cope)

Talk with other PCVs, vent; Blog or Post on social media

Talk to friends in US
Denial
Smoke, Drink
Sleep, Eat
Cry
Sex
Not go to work, stay home and watch TV
Avoid site; Isolate themselves from Host Country Nationals
Aggression
Exercise
Extend their service (i.e., I can beat this!)
Talk to PCMO, SSC, Counselor, Program Manager, Peer Support Network, US staff

Page 8 of 20
Discuss: What do you notice? Any surprises?

[Optional: all of these coping mechanisms are normal responses to an abnormal and stressful situation.
So lets not refer to them as good or bad, as they are all normal. But lets identify the ways that
Peace Corps would want Volunteers to cope. In other words, which do we view as the most successful
methods to reduce the stress? (Mark answers on previous flip chart with green marker, and/or add
more to the list)]

Discussion: Staff-PCV Dialogue

Discuss: Some Volunteers choose to talk to Peace Corps staff about their challenges with unwanted
attention. Other PCVs, however, do not discuss it with staff. What are some reasons that PCVs might
not discuss their experience with unwanted attention with staff? (List answers on flip chart)

Some possible answers:

Fear of criticizing host culture

Desire to appear tough, not a complainer, or resilient
Dont know who to talk to
Lack of trust/rapport
Lack of confidence that staff can do anything to help
Anxiety about being judged or blamed
Concern that privacy will not be maintained
Apprehension about being removed from site or homestay or that PC will otherwise make a big
deal out of it
Embarrassment
They were breaking a PC rule
Stigma around psychological help
Expectation that support will be cursory or superficial
Dont want another conversation about alcohol or dress/appearance
Blame staff for some aspect (e.g., poor site selection)

What Can PC Do to Help - Discussion

Discuss: What can Peace Corps do to help PCVs who experience difficulties managing and coping with
unwanted attention? What support might PCVs want? What can we do to help? (List answers on flip
chart labeled What PC Can Do)

Some possible answers:

Listen and understand; empathy
Not judge or blame
Evaluate site
Dont dismiss/minimize/normalize (thats just the way it is here)
Keep records of problematic locations, recognize patterns
Involve local authorities
Keep in touch/monitor/follow-up
Maintain confidentiality/privacy

Page 9 of 20
 Connect with Victim Advocate
Offer counseling
Offer some time off out of site
Refer to Peer Support Network
Explain options
Update training, address at IST
Invite to talk at next PST, or explain concerns at staff meeting
Discuss site change
Coaching on mitigation
Help find safe transportation (e.g., if attention is common on transportation)

Discuss: What do you notice? Anything you can apply in your work back at Post? How many of us have
SOPs on Support for Unwanted Attention?

Discuss: Which skills from Tuesday mornings Communication and Active Listening Session are most
useful here? What other skills and approaches from this week can we use in engaging PCVs about
unwanted attention?

Some possible answers:

1. Active Listening
2. Paraphrasing
3. Reflective Listening
4. Affirmation
5. Open-ended questions
6. Dont Blame the PCV; Dont tell the PCV the right way to handle the situation
7. Dont minimize or diminish the problem
8. Lead the PCV to understand that unwanted attention can be a manageable part of PC life
9. Help the PCV to recognize that there are different ways to interpret the attention
10. Join the PCV in exploring and practicing a range of coping strategies within the context of the
host language and culture

Page 10 of 20
Unwanted Attention Cabbage [Refocus participants after a break, if needed]

Print out the statements (at the end of this document), each one on a separate sheet
of paper, and then wad the first statement into a ball. (IMPORTANT! You probably
wont want all of the statements; add or remove statements according to group
characteristics, regional appropriateness, time, etc. Around 10 statements were judged to be about
right at the Bangkok CME for example) Wrap the other sheets around this core, so you end up with a
cabbage where sheets can be pulled off, one-by-one. Place the most complex or sophisticated
statements at the center of the core, where they will be reached last.

Explain that each sheet contains a statement related to unwanted attention. Whoever catches the
cabbage should pull off a sheet, read the statement, and then explain its meaning. They should
paraphrase the statement in their own words, explain how it is important, or give an example to make
the point. Then, pass the cabbage to another person of their choosing.

Cabbage Leaf Statements:

Being the focus of attention is part of life as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Unwanted attention can affect a Volunteers well-being and productivity in a number of ways.
What one person may experience as curiosity, another may experience as harassment.
Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the difference between unwanted attention and a personal security
concern that could lead to an assault.
62% of PCVs are women. This has certain implications for our support for Volunteers.
Male Volunteers also experience unwanted attention.
Stress makes us appear vulnerable. Weakness attracts predators.
Many PCVs have no attachment to their immediate community. They may get on a bus early in the
morning to teach at an urban school and return late in the day to an apartment complex in another part
of the city. This can affect a Volunteers experience with unwanted attention.
A third of PCVs worldwide live in large cities. Two-thirds of all PCVs do not live with host families. Given
this situation, we must re-evaluate the old safety and security assumptions about community integration
to see if they are still valid.
Volunteers experience unwanted attention in the US before coming into Peace Corps. There are several
reasons that Volunteers find attention during their service to be especially troubling or threatening.
Staff sometimes give unhelpful guidance to PCVs for dealing with unwanted attention.
Staff sometimes give judgmental or offensive advice to PCVs for dealing with unwanted attention.
The main things I try to do when Volunteers tell me about unwanted attention they receive is
When we tell female PCVs to dress modestly, that can be understood by Volunteers as dress frumpy.
Frumpy means unkempt, or a lack of concern about appearance, which can *increase* vulnerability.
As staff, as men, or as host country nationals we may not fully understand Volunteers experience with
unwanted attention.
If Peace Corps is to address growing concern about unwanted attention, the approach must include
everyone at Post.
Unwanted attention is related to sexual assault.
Helping PCVs around unwanted attention is NOT just repeating security messages and warnings.
There are lots of ways to encourage group and individual strategies for coping with unwanted attention.
There is no single right way to deal with unwanted attention PCVs do what feels right for the situation.
PCVs learn to deal with attention by having a coping strategy & understanding the cultural dynamics of
the situation.
Safety comes first. PCVs must not compromise their safety for the sake of cultural harmony.

Page 11 of 20
Mitigation Strategies Task Groups

Explain: Our efforts to mitigate unwanted attention often focus on the Volunteer. We counsel them on
how to act, ask them to avoid certain locations, and teach them ways to respond in the local language.

However, we might also think about what else staff can do to assist. This way, we ensure the question is
not What was the PCV thinking/doing? but instead What are staff thinking and doing to help?

Instead of focusing on the Volunteers conduct and adjustments, this next activity looks at what more
staff can do. We will focus on what Posts can do to help address and mitigate unwanted attention.

We will break up into groups, and each group will have specific instructions.

[There are seven possible activity groups, which is more than you will need. Select the activity group
instructions that are most appropriate for the participants, group size, and regional issues. Probably 5
or 6 people can work in each group; you can invite HQ staff and others to mix into groups.]

[You may want to customize the 7th role play activity group scenario for your Region, if you decide to use
it]

The group activities are:

1. Gathering Information
2. Community of Connection
3. Training
4. Site Selection
5. SOP for Unwanted Attention
6. Community and Counterpart Orientation
7. Role Play

Divide the groups, and give each group a set of instructions for one of the activities. Allow 20 minutes
for groups to work. Emphasize that they will give very brief presentations with the results from their
group work, so they should record key points on flipchart paper. You can also collect electronic notes
from groups to distribute to other participants later.

Closing

After groups have presented their completed tasks (the facilitators may choose a limited number of
presentations, depending on the time left in the session), to close the session ask participants one-by-
one to state something they will take from this session and apply back at Post. [For example, I will
update our COS questionnaire so it asks about unwanted attention, or I will try to be more open about
conversations critical of my culture, or I will reach out to PCVs more on this issue of unwanted
attention, to see how it may be affecting them.

Page 12 of 20
Group 1: Gathering Information

Your task is to consider methods to gather information about unwanted attention at Post. How can we
learn more about PCVs experience with unwanted attention, what situations they most often confront,
factors that seem to contribute, support they expect, etc. How can we gather examples of unwanted
attention? How can we learn what strategies seem to work best for PCVs to mitigate, handle, and
cope?

Prepare a very short presentation about your conclusions; use flipcharts to share your ideas. Have
someone in your group type notes.

Draft specific questions that you could include in each of the following tools, in order to learn about PCV
experiences with unwanted attention:

Site visit report

Volunteer COS Questionnaire
Volunteer Site Evaluation
Online survey

Are different approaches appropriate for understanding attention experienced by different groups (e.g.,
PCVs of different ethnic backgrounds, black PCVs, female PCVs, LGBTQ PCVs, PCVs from different
religions, etc.)?

Page 13 of 20
Group 2: Community of Connection

Your task is to propose ways to build a community of connection to better support PCVs around
unwanted attention. Use the questions below to guide your thinking; it is not necessary to answer every
question.

Prepare a very short presentation about your conclusions; use flipcharts to share your ideas. Have
someone in your group type notes.

Key questions:

What do we mean by a community of connection to support PCVs at Post? How can we

promote a community of connection? Why is it important?
How do we create opportunities for Volunteers to share and communicate their experience with
unwanted attention without fear of judgment?
How can we encourage group and individual strategies for coping with and managing strong
emotional challenges with unwanted attention?
How do we encourage staff to not just provide information or solutions, but to engage
Volunteers and Trainees in dialogue about difficulties?
What are novel or compelling ways to generate discussions among staff and PCVs about
unwanted attention?

Additional questions, time permitting:

How can we create an environment where PCVs can talk to host country staff without fear of
criticizing the culture?
What activities could you perform with a peer support network, Volunteer Advisory Committee,
a Volunteer Safety Council, staff, newsletter, concerned PCVs, at ISTs, etc.?
How can we include men, women, counterparts, Program Managers, PCMOs, mental health
consultants, legal counselors, peer support Volunteers, RPCVs, and others in this effort?
How can we emphasize that managing unwanted attention is a shared community
responsibilitythat staff, counterparts, host family members, local authorities, and other PCVs
all have a role?
How can PCVs share their stories and experiencesboth successes and difficulties?

Page 14 of 20
Group 3: Training

Your task is to consider Pre-Service, In-Service, and COS Training around unwanted attention.

Training on unwanted attention cant be just one session with a PCV gender panel during PST. It should
occur across language, culture, safety, and even technical training; in PST, ISTs, and COS. It should
provide an opportunity for Volunteers to share their experience, examine mitigation and coping
strategies, and practice managing uncomfortable situations.

You must propose ten (10!) sessions or activities that address unwanted attention in different ways.

Prepare a very short presentation about your conclusions; use flipcharts to share your ideas. Have
someone in your group type notes.

How would we perform a needs assessment about unwanted attention in order to design
better-informed PST and IST content?
Consider that we want PCVs to:
1. Understand that unwanted attention can be a manageable part of Peace Corps life
2. Recognize there are different ways of interpreting attention
3. Explore and practice a range of coping strategies within the context of the host culture
How can we further refine these goals and draft more specific learning objectives related to
unwanted attention? Can you provide an example of one more specific learning objective?
What are ten (10) training activities/sessions you could use to address unwanted attention?
What would a complete package of training around unwanted attention look like? For
example:
o Unwanted attention: What to Expect (PCV Panel)
o Situational Language Practice for Unwanted Attention on Transportation (LCFs)
o Situational Language Practice for Getting Help (LCFs)
o Unwanted Attention: Coping and How PC Can Help (PSN and PCMO)

Additional questions, time permitting:

What experiential or practice activities can be designed? What language activities can be
devised to enable PCVs to understand and practice dealing with common situations of
unwanted attention? What cultural sessions can address the topic? How might unwanted
attention be addressed in technical training?
If you asked Volunteers to keep a journal of incidents where they experienced unwanted
attention, how could that be used as a learning tool?
How can the video Slice of Life continue to be used? How can Post develop more modern,
country-specific video content showing situations of unwanted attention? Can PCVs take a role
in making the videos so as to bring the message home?
When are the best opportunities to address attention throughout the sequence of training?
What activities can you devise to assess learning achievement?
Any proposals for staff training?

Page 15 of 20
Group 4: Site Selection

Your task is to see how Posts existing site selection process could be updated to better address
unwanted attention. What can we add to the site placement strategy to reduce the level of unwanted
attention experienced by PCVs (distance between PCVs, marital status, gender considerations, etc.)

Prepare a very short presentation about your conclusions; use flipcharts to share your ideas. Have
someone in your group type notes.

What PCV characteristics might lead to higher or lower risk for unwanted attention? What
aspects of who the PCV is can contribute to attention? Do not focus on PCV conduct, but
instead focus on qualities of the PCV.
What characteristics of sites make them more difficult with regard to unwanted attention?
What kinds of sites might be most suitable for PCVs at higher risk for attention? Try to reach
agreement on at least six (6) factors for each category. For example:

PCV Characteristics Site Characteristics

Higher Risk Lower Risk Higher Risk Lower Risk
Young, <25 yrs old Advanced language Weak counterpart Small villages
Single Married couples Past security problems Compound housing
English Teachers Experience in region Transient population Replacement site

What factors related to unwanted attention can be considered in site selection? What might
you include in site criteria related to this issue?
How can site placement decisions better address unwanted attention?
How can we manage site history information to incorporate issues related to unwanted
attention (e.g., if a female Volunteer experiences numerous catcalls in a particular
neighborhood)?
How do we determine when a site has too many instances of unwanted attention to continue to
receive Volunteers?

Page 16 of 20
Group Five: SOP for Unwanted Attention

Your task is to draft a Standard Operating Procedure for assisting PCVs who experience more serious or
persistent problems with unwanted attention. Be sure to reference any Agency and Post policies that
could intersect with unwanted attention, including the new Stalking IPS, SSI 202 Response to
Threatening Situations, Incident Reporting Guidelines, MS645, MS271, and other tools discussed this
week. (You may need a laptop to access the Intranet.)

Consider legal and emotional support options, site history notations, how to handle specific
circumstances (e.g., harasser is counterpart or host family member), and other factors in drafting your
SOP.

Prepare a very short presentation about your SOP; use flipcharts to share your ideas. Have someone in
your group type notes.

Additional questions if time permits:

How do we evaluate the safety of a site with a pattern of unwanted attention toward PCVs?
How does the new stalking policy (IPS 1-13) differentiate between typical unwanted attention
and stalking? Summarize the distinction as stated in the stalking policy. How would stalking be
handled differently than an isolated instance of unwanted attention?
Some instances of unwanted attention may be confused with other sexual assault (OSA, i.e.,
groping). How can we differentiate between unwanted attention and OSA?
How might serious instances of unwanted attention that are not OSA be submitted in CIRS (i.e.,
under what classification might they be submitted?)
How do any Safety and Security Instructions come into play?
Should there be any special guidance for Duty Officers?
Where and by whom would any issues at a site be documented?

Page 17 of 20
Group 6: Community and Counterpart Orientation

Your task is to define the role of the PCVs communitycounterparts, host family, and local
authoritiesin helping manage unwanted attention. How can we engage counterparts, neighbors,
homestay families, local authorities, and other community members to assist?

Prepare a very short presentation about your recommendations; use flipcharts to share your ideas.
Have someone in your group type notes. In particular:

What support around unwanted attention can we expect from counterparts, neighbors, host
families, and local authorities?
How would you explain the situation so that community members appreciate the challenge of
unwanted attention; and how to affects PCVs adaptation, well-being, and productivity?
What can staff say or do at a counterpart training to address unwanted attention and improve
support for PCVs?
What can staff say or do at a community orientation to address unwanted attention and
improve support for PCVs?
What can staff say or do when orienting homestay families to address unwanted attention and
improve support for PCVs?
What can staff say or do with local authorities to address unwanted attention and improve
support for PCVs?
How can we encourage host country national mothers, sisters, aunts, wives, girlfriends, and
daughters for insights into adaptation for female Volunteers?

Additional question, time permitting:

What criteria might be added to a housing checklist to help mitigate unwanted attention?

Page 18 of 20
Group 7: Role Play in Central Asia

A female PCV in Central Asia experiences a lot of unwanted attention. When in cafes, men stare and
make jokes toward her that she doesnt understand. Boys at her local school shout profanities at her.
Friends of her host father ask her lots of very personal questions when they visit the home. Her
counterpart asks if it is true that American women are promiscuous?

It is the long-distance shared taxi rides, however, that are the most problematic. When she travels the
six hours to the capital, she is often the only female in the car. The male passengers make sexually
explicit remarks, and often the driver will joke about bride kidnapping her.

Discuss:

I. What effect might this have on you? (How might it make you feel? Besides your own
interpretation, are there other ways someone could perceive this attention?)

II. What factors can lead to this situation? (What aspects of culture contribute? What
assumptions might HCNs make about Americans? Where do these differences and assumptions
come from?)

III. What are a number of different strategies the Volunteer could use to manage this attention?
(Try to think of a range of options both proactive and reactive to avoid, mitigate, reduce,
preempt, and/or cope with such attention).

Prepare a short role play skit:

Determine how to convey the situation and your answers to the questions above to the larger group.
Your presentation should reflect several aspects of your discussion, express the range of possible
interpretations of the attention, and demonstrate several possible mitigation strategies.

Page 19 of 20
 Being the focus of attention is
part of life as a Peace Corps
Volunteer.

Cabbage Leaf
 Unwanted attention can affect
a Volunteers well-being and
productivity in a number of
ways.

Cabbage Leaf
 What one person may
experience as curiosity,
another may experience as
harassment.

Cabbage Leaf
 Sometimes it is difficult to
distinguish the difference
between unwanted attention
and a personal security
concern that could lead to an
assault.

Cabbage Leaf
 62% of PCVs are women. This
has certain implications for our
support to PCVs around
unwanted attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 Male Volunteers also
experience unwanted
attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 Stress makes us appear
vulnerable. Weakness
attracts predators.

Cabbage Leaf
 Many PCVs have no attachment to their
immediate community. They may get on
a bus early in the morning to teach at an
urban school and return late in the day to
an apartment complex in another part of
the city. This can affect a Volunteers
experience with unwanted attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 A third of PCVs worldwide live in large
cities. Two-thirds of all PCVs do not live
with host families. Given this situation,
we must re-evaluate the old safety and
security assumptions about community
integration to see if they are still valid.

Cabbage Leaf
 Volunteers experience unwanted
attention in the US before coming into
Peace Corps. But there are several
reasons that Volunteers find attention
during their service to be especially
troubling or threatening.

Cabbage Leaf
 Staff sometimes gives
unhelpful guidance to PCVs for
dealing with unwanted
attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 Staff sometimes gives
judgmental or offensive advice
to PCVs for dealing with
unwanted attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 The main things I try to do
when Volunteers tell me about
unwanted attention they
receive is

Cabbage Leaf
 When we tell female PCVs to dress
modestly, that can be understood by
Volunteers as dress frumpy. Frumpy
means unkempt, or a lack of concern
about appearance, which can sometimes
*increase* vulnerability.

Cabbage Leaf
 As staff, as men, or as host
country nationals we may not
fully understand Volunteers
experience with unwanted
attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 If Peace Corps is to address
growing concern about
unwanted attention, the
approach must include
everyone at Post.

Cabbage Leaf
 Unwanted attention is related
to sexual assault.

Cabbage Leaf
 Helping PCVs around
unwanted attention is NOT just
a matter of repeating or
intensifying security messages
or warnings.

Cabbage Leaf
 There are lots of ways to
encourage group and
individual strategies for coping
with unwanted attention.

Cabbage Leaf
 There is no single right way
to deal with unwanted
attention PCVs need to do
what feels right for the
situation at hand.

Cabbage Leaf
 PCVs learn to deal with
attention by having a coping
strategy and understanding the
cultural dynamics of the
situation.

Cabbage Leaf
 Safety comes first. PCVs must
not compromise their safety
for the sake of cultural
harmony.

Cabbage Leaf
 Our expectations about how
others will act are based on our
own cultural conditioning
our assumptions, therefore,
are quite natural.

Cabbage Leaf
 One thing I find helpful in
supporting PCVs around
unwanted attention is

Cabbage Leaf