I think the first thing you should do (after trying to ignore the attacks, trying to act as though they don't matter, etc) is to consult [[Wikipedia:Dispute resolution]]. This may be even useful before you have problems or even if you personally never have any, as the first suggestion is to avoid disputes which you can do to a certain extent by controlling your own editing behavior. For example, by not editing aggressively in controversial areas, and if you do by phrasing your edits in the neutral way in the first place.
As you note, reminding the other party of Wikipedia policy is good and to a certain extent a requirement for proceding further.
Mediation, while a long shot with personal attacks, can be tried.
Arbitration over personal attacks is available, however it is not instant, unlikely to be responsive to isolated attacks, and if confusing issues exist, for example, you did something too, possibly inconclusive or only a side issue to a proceeding in which you are the defendent. Users who go way overboard with personal attacks have been banned for long periods however.
Fred
From: Roozbeh Pournader roozbeh@gmail.com Reply-To: English Wikipedia wikien-l@Wikipedia.org Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 15:50:28 +0430 To: English Wikipedia wikien-l@wikipedia.org Subject: [WikiEN-l] What to do when you are attacked personally
Hi. I've been with the English Wikipedia for quite some time, I'm even an admin, but I still don't know what to do when I'm personally attacked (sometimes heavily). I usually go forward and simply [[Wikipedia:remove personal attacks]], but where should I exactly go for these, after I am attacked even after mentioning the related Wikipedia policy? The arbitration committee? Or to another admin for a block?
For some example, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:JBOC#External_links.
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