Quote Originally Posted by Spyrit View Post
Like it or not, that is a coping mechanism, and it's highly flawed to blame the coping mechanism, rather than dealing with the toxic behavior that started it. Bullying is a form of abuse, period. People cope in different ways, you don't validate the abuse, by attacking the coping mechanism, that solves nothing. Preservation of human dignity in game or real life, is a necessity for the well being of humans. Any expert in behavior biology will tell you this. Humans utilize the social mode when they feel safe in any environment virtual or real, this is scientifically proven.

If you want social mode in a human, break the ice with humor, pleasant conversation, make a human feel safe, don't engage an environment of hostility, you won't get anywheres.
It doesn't matter though. Is the person who harassed them in the first place wrong? Sure. But the problem is that the way they're coping is causing problems for MORE people. It's not validating the abuse in the slightest, it's about not continuing the problem by dealing with it properly. Just because they are a victim, doesn't mean they are free from repercussion and/or criticism.