My little brother is receiving constant disturbing messages from someone he doesn't know on social media. I've encouraged him to report this situation, but he's scared. Is there a way to deal with situations like this?
This needs to go to the police.
How old is your sibling? Are they an adult or a child? Depending on that, different approaches are needed.
@kahvebitmeden is 15 years old. The person who disturbed her seems to be older, talking about someone around 20-25 years old 🙂
@camkenari it's easy to go to the police, but sometimes they create bigger problems out of fear of exposure. You have to be careful and not rush.
Take screenshots of the messages, it's important for evidence. Also, there's a complaint form in the "cyber crimes" section of BTK, you can use that. Make your brother's account settings private as well.
It happened to my cousin; someone he didn't know sent threatening messages. He saved the messages, and we went straight to the police station. They found the guy right away. I don't think he needs to be afraid.
As a family member, you need to make your stance clear. You should make your sibling feel that they don't need to be afraid. Did the parents get involved in the situation?
If the parents are involved, it is also important that they do not show fear or panic. In such situations, the child first observes the family's reaction. If you remain calm but solution-oriented, the child will also feel encouraged. It is also important not to react directly to the person causing discomfort; sometimes these individuals are seeking "attention." Collect evidence quietly and take action.
Does this person come from your sibling's friend list, or are they someone completely external? If they are from the friend list, pay attention to your mutual acquaintances. Sometimes it might also be possible to stop the person by applying pressure from the surrounding environment.
