Having a one-on-one conversation with colleagues about harassment and attacks has been shown to be helpful to targeted journalists. Colleagues may also encourage the journalist to bring the attack to the attention of the relevant persons within the news organization.
This informal mechanism is important in particular in highly competitive environments or whenever journalists may have reason to fear that reporting an online attack may be considered a sign of weakness. In order to increase the ability of colleagues to provide support, staff should undergo brief trainings in coping mechanisms to give them the tools to provide well-informed support.