Texting is an excellent way to communicate and keep in touch with anybody easily. Although it offers convenience to the people, it may harm others if it goes in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, certain people use text messaging as a means of bullying or threatening someone else.
A study on crimes revealed that around 50% of folks aged 14 to 24 years have been bullied or textually abused. It is also important to take steps to protect yourself when you are the victim of harassing texts, including stalking behavior.
- Save the Texts
Under any conditions, the messages should not be deleted. To get the full copy of your texts, take a screenshot from your phone and, get in touch with your mobile provider for obtaining the complete transcript of your texts.
You can also take pictures of the texts and can save them onto another device like a PC or Laptop to protect them. During the inquiry, these documents can be invaluable, but text messages must have a time stamp. Make a copy of all, as the police or prosecutors may ask for them.
- Gather as Much Evidence as You Can
If individuals threaten or stalk, they often target or abuse the victim in a number of ways. Each incident should be documented as much as possible. Start recording the actions of bullying. Make sure to register the date and time of each event, along with an explanation of what the harasser has said or done.
- Don’t Reply
In most cases, abusive messages should not be replied to. The victim may respond with rage or frustration, but this could lead to an escalation of tense situations. Nobody deserves to be bullied or harassed. Let the police investigate instead of trying to stop the bullying on your own.
- Contact the Police
If you are threatened or being harassed by phone, make sure to collect as much proof as you can and, carry it to the police. It is generally better to have the text or messages recorded in print because it prevents you from handing your telephone over to the cops.
- Have a word with an attorney who specializes in Criminal Law
Please consider talking to some Galveston criminal defense attorneys about your case. Criminal defense attorneys will inform you on your rights, listen to all of your concerns and discuss what the next steps should be.
- Protect Your Mobile Phone Number
Be cautious about your mobile number sharing. Just treat it as you treat your identity proofs. Don’t share your mobile number on social media sites.
You can also obtain a temporary number from your service provider for specific purposes. In cases where you don’t want to share your private mobile number, this can be a good alternative.
According to the law, it’s an offense to bully somebody by a PC, the Web, and social media, an email or SMS. These cases are taken very seriously by lawmakers and the police, and penalties for harassing or bullying texts could be grave.
