Other Steps You Can Take To Curb Online Harassment
Fortunately, in most cases online harassment is not likely to lead to actual violence. Most of the time the person or people engaging in harassment are bullies looking for a response. In this kind of a case your best response is no response.
Having Trouble Reporting Online Harassment
Sometimes, small police departments wont respond even, if you do receive specific threats of violence. The department will tell you there is nothing it can do until the person threatens you offline or comes to your house. In those cases your best bet is to get in touch with the state police as well as the FBI. In a non-emergency situation, you can file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Unfortunately, if you do not have any proof of a threat of violence, it will be all but impossible for the police to act.
Block And Report Cyberbullies To The Service Providers
Help your child take preventive measures online to block cyberbullies from contacting them, and report cyberbullies to the site or service providers where the cyberbullying occurred. Responsible sites should take immediate action against cyberbullying incidents.
Once you understand the scope of the problem, and how your child feels, assess what help your child may need.
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Report Cyberbullying To Online Service Providers
Cyberbullying often violates the terms of service established by social media sites and internet service providers.
- Review their terms and conditions or rights and responsibilities sections. These describe content that is or is not appropriate.
- Visit social media safety centers to learn how to block users and change settings to control who can contact you.
- Report cyberbullying to the social media site so they can take action against users abusing the terms of service.
Someone Has Been Sending Me Offensive Emails Or Threatening / Harassing Me Over The Internet What Should I Do
If the harassment is physically threatening or contains racial, sexual or religious overtones, it may constitute an offence and should be reported by calling us on 105 or visiting your local police station as soon as possible.
For more advice, visit NetSafe or freephone 0508 NETSAFE .
If the person is harassing you online via email, an online messaging service or on a social networking site, you can also contact the site and ask them to deal with the person in accordance with their terms and conditions. You can also set up your email to block messages from unwelcome email addresses. NetSafe can help you with this.
If you feel you are in immediate danger call 111.
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What Types Of Reports Can I File Online
- Damage/Mischief to Motor Vehicle under $10,000.00
- Damage/Mischief to Property under $10,000.00
- Lost Property under $10,000.00
- Theft of Property – under $10,000.00
- Theft from Motor Vehicle – under $10,000.00
- Supplemental Report
- Driving Complaints Road Watch:- Constant Neighborhood traffic related issues- School bus violations.
Women And Workplace Sexual Harassment
The numbers on sexual harassment are staggering, as shown by a 2018 study on sexual harassment and assault by a nonprofit called Stop Street Harassment. It found that 81% of women and 43% of men had experienced some form of sexual harassment during their lifetime. This type of harassment most commonly occurs at work.
The tech industry in the U.S. is especially notorious for the workplace and sexual harassment. Susan Ho, entrepreneur and founder of the travel startup Journy, spoke to CNN about the challenges of being a female entrepreneur in the American tech industry. Silicon Valley is particularly infamous for its skewed power dynamics, where capital and the positions of power are largely controlled by men.
When female founders are pitching their business ideas to men, its not uncommon to hold the meetings in informal locations like restaurants or coffee shops, frequently after working hours, explained Ho. This type of setting can blur the lines of what is appropriate and what isnt, putting the woman in a more vulnerable, disempowered position, often leading to instances of workplace sexual harassment.
Entrepreneur and founder of a mental health startup, Bea Arthur, shared similar views and experiences for the CNN piece. She noted: If looks at another man, he sees them as an opportunity, a colleague, a peer, a mentor. But if youre a female founder, he just sees you as a woman first.
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What Do You Need To Go To Court
In addition to keeping detailed records and screenshots of the harassment, youll likely need to work with a team that understands the regulations and laws requiring submitting content from social media as evidence in court as established by FRE 902. Suppose your abusers true identity is still unknown. In that case, you will need to determine exactly who it is you are suing using a service designed to uncover the people behind social media accounts. At Bosco, our cyber investigators use advanced search tools and analysis to locate the critical metadata, times & dates, and other data that the court requires to pursue a lawsuit. Learn more about social media investigations here.
Upon Completion Of This Report Process You Will:
- See the words: “Your online police report has been submitted”.
- You will then immediately receive a temporary police report file number and an email informing you that we have received your report and that it is pending review. A temporary file number will appear in this format: T11000999. Temporary file numbers cannot be used for insurance purposes.
- If you do not receive an email with a temporary file number, please check your Spam or Junk-Email folder.
- A police officer will review your report and either Approve, Reject or request additional follow-up information from you. You will be advised via email of the status of your report. Do not reply via email to any of these automated messages as these accounts are not monitored. Follow the directions provided on how to respond regarding your report.
- Once your report is approved, you will receive a permanent report number – this number appears in this format: 11-123456.
- Be able to print a copy of the police report to keep for your records only. This copy cannot be used for insurance purposes.
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Report Threats And Crime
General Public
Members of the public can report violations of U.S. federal law or suspected terrorism or criminal activity as follows:
Contact us online
- Use our Online Tips and Public Leads form to report information on criminal activity and suspected terrorist threats
- Report cyber crimes by filing a complaint with our Internet Crime Complaint Center
Contact us via telephone or mail
- Contact your local FBI office or closest international office 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Dealing With Online Harassment & Bullying
There are many forms of online harassment, and many names used to describe these types of harassment, including cyber bullying, trolling, flaming, doxing, outing and fraping. Regardless of the approach, the perpetrators use personal information, abusive messaging or bullying behaviour to cause you emotional distress. Social media is typically the platform of choice for perpetrators and they tend to hide behind fake profiles – or hacked profiles – to target victims.
If you you dont feel safe and the harassment has been persistent then you may be a victim of cyber stalking. Check out our guide here. If fake social media accounts are being used you may want to review our guide on this here.
We want to better understand the impact of you experiencing this issue, can you share your experience by filling in this online form? This will help us better protect future victims.
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Penalties For Online Harassment
An online harassment charge is serious. Depending on the severity of the accusation and the number of offenses, it can range from a Class A misdemeanor to a third-degree felony . Class A misdemeanors are punishable by up to a year in jail and fines of up to $4,000. Third degree felonies can land someone in jail for 2 to 10 years and may have fines as high as $10,000.
You Cannot File A Report Online If
- A threat was made or violence was used during the incident. If you are in immediate danger, please dial 911. If you are no longer in danger, please call us at 613-236-1222, extension 7300.
- Evidence was left on the scene such as, but not limited to blood, tools, clothes or any item related to the incident. Please call 613-236-1222, extension 7300 to file a report.
- The incident being reported did not happen in Ottawa. Please contact the police service in the city where the incident happened to file a report.
- The stolen property is a passport
- The property lost is a cell phone, licence plate, bank card or government issued identification, with or without a serial number. Please contact your service provider to get a replacement.
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Technology & Social Media Platforms
Acts of online abuse – impersonation, cyberstalking, revenge porn, harassment and more – can be reported to most online platforms like Instagram or Twitter. Such acts violate their user guidelines and policies. In response, these platforms MAY take action by deleting the offending post, message or account.
Before you report, know this: These companies are not legally obligated to comply with your request and cannot be held accountable for inaction or delay. Put another way, Facebook can refuse to take down an account that is blatantly impersonating you and suffer no legal consequences. Read this if you want to understand the law in question – Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act – that makes this possible.
That said, this is absolutely an actionable step to stop online abuse and should be utilized. Here are the dedicated pages to report abuse for , , , , Snapchat and TikTok.
Encourage Your Child To Tell The Truth
You also need to ask your child to be entirely honest with you about any forms of retaliation they make have taken. Hopefully, they won’t have anything to report, but often kids and teens lash out, and this significantly complicates matters. Let them know that the truth will come out when their cyberbully is confronted, and they will be in far worse shape if they havent been transparent about their behavior. If there is evidence of their actions, document these as well.
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Bomb Threats By Telephone
If you receive a bomb threat over the telephone, Ready.gov provides the following information on what to do:
- Get as much information from the caller as possible. Try to ask the following questions:
- When is the bomb going to explode?
- Where is it right now?
- What does it look like?
- What kind of bomb is it?
- What will cause it to explode?
- Did you place the bomb?
The Department of Homeland Security also provides a helpful telephone bomb threat checklist.
Get more information on what to do if you receive a bomb threat or find a suspicious item.
Reporting To Law Enforcement
Choosing whether or not to report severe episodes of online harassment to law enforcement can be a difficult decision.
Because so many social media platforms offer anonymity, and because disgruntled users can so easily issue threats that they may have no intention of acting on, its a challenge to assess whether or not an online threat is real. Unfortunately, there is no exact formula for knowing when to turn to the police. You are the best person to judge whether or not your safety, or the safety of your loved ones, has been compromised. Communities and individuals, depending on their experiences and backgrounds, may have different relationships with the police. Not everyone will feel comfortable involving law enforcement, and, as discussed below, law enforcement officials are not always well-equipped to handle problems that arise online. We encourage you to use your own judgment.
Important: This information is offered for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice, and it is not intended to replace the assistance of a lawyer.
In general, the police are more likely to be able to help in some way with the following forms of online harassment:
- Youve received or been named in direct threats of violence .
- An online abuser has published nonconsensual, sexually-explicit images of you.
- Youve been stalked via electronic communication .
- You know your online harasser and wish to seek a restraining order.
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How To File A Police Report For Harassment
If you decide to go to the police, you should learn more about the process of filing a report to be prepared for each step. Keep in mind that the reporting procedures might differ from state to state, but some crucial things will certainly be required to file a police report:
When you know what exactly youre going to include in the report , you can call the police or go to your local police station.
Depending on your particular situation, you might need to talk to a specialist police officer. For instance, if your situation includes domestic violence, you can turn to a Domestic Violence Officer.
What Happens When You File A Police Report For Harassment
As step one, the police will investigate the matter. This will typically include studying the evidence that you presented, interviewing witnesses to verify your claims, and reaching out to the person harassing you. If the harassment still continues, get in touch with the police officer handling your case and provide them with any new information regarding the continued harassment.
If that doesnt help the harassment to cease either, you might be able to file a court complaint.To do so:
Depending on your states laws on harassment, defendants can be prosecuted for a harassment charge in different jurisdictions either in the place where the harassment originated or where the victim experienced it. For example, if the defendant harassed their victim online, they could be prosecuted in a state where they were not physically present .
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Report Cyberbullying To Law Enforcement
When cyberbullying involves these activities it is considered a crime and should be reported to law enforcement:
- Threats of violence
- Child pornography or sending sexually explicit messages or photos
- Taking a photo or video of someone in a place where he or she would expect privacy
- Stalking and hate crimes
Some states consider other forms of cyberbullying criminal. Consult your states laws and law enforcement for additional guidance.
What Counts As Harassment
The legal definitions of harassment vary significantly across the country. The states understanding of harassment, menacing, and stalking is a mixed bag, so you should first check the statutes on these issues in your jurisdiction.
In most states, harassment charges are typically a misdemeanor, unless there are some aggravating circumstances that will elevate the charge. For instance, if youre being harassed based on your race, this will likely be treated as racial discrimination.
The fact that harassment is frequently classified as a misdemeanor doesnt mean it isnt serious. It is, and you should treat it as such.
To file a claim against your harasser, you will need to:
If the harassment communication occurs continuously, regardless if its online or in-person, this could also count as stalking. If you think you may be the victim of a stalker, find out more about how to stop a stalker.
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San Jose Police Department Ca
Obscene or harassing phone calls may be reported via the Telephone Report Automation Center by calling 277-8900.
Or you may file a report online. Reports can also be filed in person at the San Jose Police Departments Information Center.
EXCEPTION: If the caller has made specific threat, and there is an indication the threat may be carried out, . Officers will be dispatched and respond to cases involving Criminal Threats where the threat involves death or great bodily injury.
Online Reporting – You may be able to report some harassing or threatening phone calls online.
Definition: Unwanted phone calls of an annoying, harassing or threatening nature.
Examples: Immediate hang-ups, obscene language, etc. with no known suspects.
Don’t use Online Report if . . .
-
You have any information about the suspect who made the harassing phone call.
Instead, go to the Police station to file a report or call Police Non-Emergency 277-8900 to make the report.
With the online crime reporting system you will be able file an online police report without waiting and print a copy of the report for free. If you have been the victim of harassing calls and do not know the person who is calling, you can use the online reporting system.
If you have an email address please enter it so you can get the status of your report .