Cell phone harassment

One of our friends, Mark, called this weekend and asked for Officer Jake. Mark and his wife Michelle are good friends of ours who we socialize with often. They have 3 daughters, the younger are friends with our kids and their teenage daughter is one of our babysitters. However,  when Mark called and asked for Joe, the way and tone he did so made me realize that this was one of "those" calls. I can always tell when friends call for help of the law enforcement kind - there is a different tone of voice and I've gotten very good at reading it.

So I handed the phone to Jake with a whispered "sounds like a serious help call" to him. Within a few minutes of talking, Jake switched from joking friend type conversation to serious, get-down-to-business conversation and left the room to discuss whatever they were talking about away from the listening ears of the kids.

Our friend's 14-year-old daughter had been getting obscene phone calls on her cell phone. The caller, who sounded like a male in his teens or 20s, saying things like "I want to have sex with you," or commenting on how hot she looked that day, how sexy she was, all sexual in nature. The caller ID was blocked, and though the girl's parents told her not to answer blocked  calls, she had several friends who also showed blocked numbers so often picked up the calls anyway.

Our friend Mark reached the breaking point when, as the caller was again bothering his daughter, she handed the phone over to her Dad who threatened him to stop calling and harassing his daughter. The called was so bold as to tell him that he thought his daughter was hot and planning on having sex with her. Mark saw red and called Jake.

Jake was very sympathetic. We have a daughter and this is a fear of a father, for sure. He gave advice to Mark such as 1) don't answer any blocked calls no matter what. 2) make a report to the local station. 3) get a new cell phone number asap.

They followed his advice and thankfully the calls stopped. But as far as trying to track down this harasser, there wasn't much to be done. If they were able to find out who the caller was, and prove it - which is unlikely - the most they can charge him for is a misdemeanor child annoyance. Phone companies will not backtrace a blocked call without search warrants, etc.

Even though the calls have stopped, Jake has cautioned our friends to let this be a lesson and still be aware. He says that often the harasser is someone they probably know, or close to someone they know. A friend's brother, father, relative. Or a friend of a friend who was able to get her number - pretty easy with teenagers who are socially active, in sports and not very aware of protecting their privacy.

They are being much more cautious, and Jake talked to the daughter too, giving her advice and cautions to follow. We hope that some of it sank in. At 14, you feel indestructible, but it's just not true. A good lesson for all of us.  

Comments

[MonicaLASDwife]

Thats too bad and scary that these things even happen. We have told our kids not to answer any calls that are blocked or if they don't recognize the number,unfortunately they don't always listen.The other day my daughter comes to tell us she had a collect call from a correctional facility, COLLECT,and yes she answered it!But hung up before they could be put through,I called our service provider right away to make sure we werent hit with any extra charges.Kids I tell you!

[Mary]

While this is scary first,it also pisses me off. What a coward to hide behind the block number and in no way with this spineless pervert ever say that to the fathers face,kind of makes you wish you had a magikal power to yank them out of the phone.LOL

I agree it's more than likely someone very close to her or see's her on a daily basis...these kids haveknow idea how dangerous it can be.

[Mich]

Our phone is blocked,so I can't tell my kids not to answer blocked calls.

It's pretty sad,that there are sick people like that out there.

I had some teenagers call our house a few years ago,they dialed a number and got our house.After a few times of their annoying calls .....I called the number back and got to talk to their dad,we had a chat and before he even hung up the phone,you could hear him yelling at his kids :-).