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Costs and Benefits Before Girls and Women Addressing Non-sexual Harassment: LLMs Provide A Realistic Assessment
January 15, 2026
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January 19, 2026Recruiting LLMs to Create a Response Toolkit for Girls and Women Experiencing Nonsexual Harassment
ChatGPT crafts self-empowering toolkit for girls and women to recognize, respond to covert non-sexual harassment with safe scripts and strategies.
This is Article No.3b under the Human-Tech Partnership Series
Recruiting LLMs to Create a Response Toolkit for Girls and Women Experiencing Nonsexual Harassment builds on the prior article by leveraging ChatGPT to develop practical, self-empowering strategies for recognizing and responding to covert non-sexual harassment without risking retaliation. It emphasizes clarity, documentation, and boundary-setting over confrontation, with tailored scripts for adolescents and adult women facing issues like invalidation, exclusion, or reputation sabotage.
Article 3a in the Human-Tech Partnership series, entitled – Costs and Benefits Before Girls and Women Addressing Non-sexual Harassment: LLMs Provide A Realistic Assessment – examined the risks and benefits associated with addressing non-sexual harassment, through the lens of an LLM. Microsoft’s Copilot drew attention to an externality associated with non-sexual harassment in the form of possible retaliation towards girls and women seeking assistance in this matter.
Copilot’s summary referred to the “double-edged sword” of redressal providing real-life examples both current as well as historical. A notable instance of retaliation provided by Copilot was an account of the Civil Rights Movement recorded by the Library of Congress. Concerns relating to gender tended to be viewed as being irrelevant to the effort to achieve racial equality. Women seeking to raise the former were largely disregarded and barred from being at the forefront of what had started out as a struggle for a common cause. The UN Women’s review regarding workplace isolation and demotion of women who sought support when faced with non-sexual or sexual harassment, was another example quoted by Copilot.
Institutional solutions and legal reforms such as those listed by CoPilot in the previous article are the end product of highly complex and interdependent societal issues, and quite understandably come together sometime after the undesirable events of non-sexual harassment and/or adverse reactions to calls for support, have occurred. In the meantime, could we arrive at a relatively quick, “semi-institutional” response to the problem at hand, that would be safe for women and girls to adopt, without the danger of further non-sexual harassment in the form of overt or covert retaliation?
ChatGPT when prompted to create a Response Toolkit for both girls and women when experiencing non-sexual harassment came up with a number of real-life scenarios that might play out in the lives of school students or employees. The emphasis on self-empowerment rather than confrontation is encouraging. The toolkit provides girls and women with the means to recognize behaviors that indicate intent to bully along with appropriately composed responses that reflect clarity, healthy self-esteem and courteousness.
The Response Toolkit provided by ChatGPT has several features to recommend it and is provided further below.
Questions to Consider:
- Might the ChatGPT Response Toolkit for Girls and Women facing non-sexual harassment be adapted for the workplace, as an extended implementation of the principles endorsed within POSH?
- Is it time to incorporate ChatGPT or other LLM generated response toolkits into the curriculum at schools, to help girls successfully identify and navigate around encounters of harassment?
ChatGPT Output
Response Toolkit for Girls and Women
Responding to Sensed, Covert Non‑Sexual Harassment
Purpose of This Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to help girls and women recognize, name, and respond to non‑sexual, covert, or ambiguous forms of harassment. These behaviors often aim to destabilize confidence, damage reputation, isolate, or provoke self‑doubt while remaining deniable to outsiders.
The goal is clarity, self‑protection, and agency—not confrontation for its own sake.
1. What Is Non‑Sexual Covert Harassment?
- Non‑sexual covert harassment includes repeated, patterned behaviors that: – Undermine credibility or reputation – Create confusion, anxiety, or self‑doubt – Isolate or socially exclude – Provoke emotional reactions that can be used against you – Maintain plausible deniability for the harasser
It often feels like:
“Something is wrong, but I can’t quite prove it.”
That feeling matters.
2. Common Forms & Concrete Examples
A. Covert Slander & Misrepresentation
What it looks like: – Others suddenly treat you differently without explanation – You are described as
“difficult,” “unstable,” “confused,” or “too sensitive” – Your words are selectively quoted or subtly distorted Example:
You say, “I’m concerned about the timeline.” Later you hear you were described as “panicking” or “creating drama.”
B. Patterned Invalidation
- What it looks like: – Your concerns are repeatedly minimized – You are told you are overreacting, imagining things, or misunderstanding
Example:
You point out repeated interruptions in meetings and are told: “No one else seems bothered by this.”
C. Information Control & Exclusion
- What it looks like: – Being left out of emails, meetings, or decisions relevant to your role – Receiving information last, then being criticized for not knowing
Example:
A deadline changes, you are not informed, then blamed for missing it.
D. Provocation Without Witnesses
What it looks like: – Snide remarks delivered privately – Subtle mockery or contempt masked as humor
Example:
“Wow, you’re really intense today—just joking!” (said when no one else is around)
E. Reputation Sabotage Through Concern‑Trolling
- What it looks like: – Others claim to be “worried” about you – Your competence or mental state is questioned under the guise of care
Example:
“I hope she’s okay—she seems overwhelmed lately.”
3. Internal Grounding: Before You Respond
Before responding externally, do this internally:
- Name it (privately): “This feels like a pattern, not a one‑off.”
- Detach from self‑blame: Confusion is a signal, not a flaw.
- Observe frequency: One incident may be unclear; repetition creates meaning.
4. Response Principles (The Foundation)
- Effective responses are: – Calm (not emotionally reactive) – Specific (focused on observable behavior) Boundaried (clear limits) – Documented (written records protect you)
- You are not required to: – Convince the harasser – Expose everything at once – Be endlessly understanding
5. Ready‑to‑Use Response Scripts
A. Clarifying in the Moment (Low Escalation)
Use when behavior is subtle but recurring.
“Can you clarify what you mean by that?”
“I want to make sure I understood—are you saying ___?”
- “That comment feels unclear. Can you be more specific?” Why it works: Forces the behavior into the open.
B. Naming the Pattern (Calm & Factual)
- “I’ve noticed a pattern where my input is described differently afterward.”
- “This is the third time I wasn’t included in information relevant to my work.”
Key: Stick to facts, not motives.
C. Boundary‑Setting Statements
- “I’m open to feedback, but not to being described inaccurately.”
- “If there’s a concern, I prefer it be raised directly with me.”
- “Please don’t characterize my intentions—ask me instead.”
D. Neutralizing Gaslighting
- “We may remember this differently. Here’s what I noted at the time.”
- “Regardless of intent, the impact is ___.”
- “I’m confident in my understanding of what occurred.”
E. Redirecting Public Undermining
- “That’s not an accurate summary of my position. Let me restate it.”
- “I’d like to clarify before we move on.”
6. Documentation Toolkit (Quiet Power)
- Keep records that are: – Dated – Factual – Non‑emotional
- What to log: – Who was present – Exact words or actions – Impact on your role or reputation
Example entry:
12 March, 3:10 PM. Meeting with X. Comment made: “You seem confused again.” No prior confusion expressed. Comment not challenged by others.
7. When to Escalate
- Consider escalation when: – The pattern persists despite clear boundaries – Your reputation or opportunities are affected – You feel chronically anxious, silenced, or hyper‑vigilant
- Escalation can include: – Written clarification emails – Involving a neutral third party – Formal complaints
(when safe and strategic)
8. What This Is Not
- This toolkit is not about: – Becoming aggressive – Playing psychological games – Proving you are a victim
- It is about: – Preserving clarity, dignity, and self‑trust
9. Immediate Application by Age & Life Stage
A. For Adolescents (Girls & Young Teens)
Key Challenges Adolescents Face
- Power imbalance with peers, teachers, adults
- Fear of social exclusion or retaliation
- Difficulty articulating “why” something feels wrong
- Adults may dismiss concerns as drama or sensitivity
The priority at this stage is safety, clarity, and adult support—not debate.
1. Common Adolescent-Specific Covert Harassment Examples
Being labeled “dramatic,” “attention-seeking,” or “weird”
Group chats where messages are ignored or mocked indirectly
Jokes about intelligence, maturity, or emotions framed as teasing
Teachers or peers implying “everyone has a problem with you” Example:
A classmate says, “No offense, but people think you’re exhausting,” then claims they were just being honest.
2. Simple, Safe Response Scripts (Adolescents)
These are short and easy to remember.
“What do you mean by that?”
“That doesn’t feel okay to me.”
“Please don’t talk about me like that.”
“If there’s an issue, say it directly.”
- If speaking feels unsafe: – Walk away – Write it down later – Tell a trusted adult
3. Adult-Support Script (Very Important)
Teach adolescents to say:
“I’m not sure how to explain this, but this keeps happening and it makes me feel confused and singled out.”
This helps adults listen even when details are unclear.
4. Documentation for Adolescents (Low Burden)
Keep a simple notes app or notebook • Write:
Date
Who was involved
One sentence of what happened No analysis required.
B. For Adult Women (Immediate, Real-World Use)
Key Challenges Adult Women Face
Professional or family power dynamics
Reputation risk
Being framed as emotional or difficult
Long-term erosion of confidence
The priority here is credibility, boundaries, and strategic response.
1. Adult-Specific Covert Harassment Examples
Being described as “unstable,” “overwhelmed,” or “hard to work with”
Information withheld, then competence questioned
Public praise paired with private undermining
Concern-trolling framed as care Example:
“I’m just worried about her capacity right now.”
2. Immediate Response Scripts (Adult Women)
Use a calm, steady tone.
“That’s not an accurate description.”
“Please speak directly to me if there’s a concern.”
“Let’s stay with the facts.”
“I don’t agree with that characterization.”
3. Written Follow-Up (Powerful & Protective)
After ambiguous incidents, send brief clarification emails:
“To confirm my understanding of today’s discussion: ___.”
This quietly counters misrepresentation.
4. Strategic Silence (When Not to Engage)
Not every comment needs a response.
- Choose silence when: – The comment seeks provocation – Responding would escalate harm –
Documentation is safer than confrontation Silence + records = leverage.
5. Escalation Thresholds (Adult Women)
- Escalate when: – The pattern affects your role, safety, or reputation – Others begin repeating distorted narratives – You feel pressured to doubt your own reality
10. Final Reminder (All Ages)
You do not need perfect words to deserve respect.
Confusion is often the first signal of a boundary being crossed.
You are allowed to pause, document, ask for support, and protect yourself.
Views expressed by the authors are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).
- Article 1 – Language Models and Training Data: A Mutual Learning Partnership
- Article 2 – Non-Sexual Harassment: What LLMs Can Bring to the Discussion!
- Article 3a – Costs and Benefits Before Girls and Women Addressing Non-sexual Harassment: LLMs Provide A Realistic Assessment
Dr Monika Krishan is a Senior Fellow (Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence) at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, Kerala, India.
Dr Monika Krishan's academic background includes a Master’s in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India and a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA. Her research interests include image processing, psychovisual perception of textures, perception of animacy, goal based inference, perception of uncertainty and invariance detection in visual and non-visual domains.
Dr Krishan's areas of study also include the impact of artificial intelligence devices on human cognition from the developmental stages of the human brain, through adulthood, all the way through the aging process, and the resulting impact on the socio-cognitive health of society. She has worked on several projects on the cognitive aspects of the use and misuse of technology in social and antisocial contexts at SERC, IISc as well as the development of interactive graphics for Magnetic Resonance Imaging systems at Siemens.
