Spring Break
Two harassment incidents reported
UAPD
Jack Willems
Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: News
The UA Police Department received two reports of harassment Friday, Feb. 29, police authorities said.
UAPD received a report of harassment at 7:41 a.m. from someone who said that she and her family had been harassed by telephone repeatedly. The victim was a student, but she had withdrawn from class, said Lt. Gary Crain, public information officer with the UAPD.
The victim had been in a relationship with her alleged harasser, but then broke it off. She told police that her ex-boyfriend continued to call her after the relationship had ended and she wanted him to stop, Crain said.
The victim also told police that the perpetrator called her throughout the month of February, though she was never threatened.
"Recently, we think he has stopped," Crain said. "I spoke with her yesterday and she said there had been no calls since she reported him."
Later that afternoon, the UAPD received a report of harassment through Facebook.
A student reported that someone was sending messages to harass her using the Web site both in February 2008 and September 2007. The victim did not know who was sending the messages and the UAPD has no leads at this point, Crain said.
No threats were made in these messages, he said.
The UAPD received 25 reports of harassment last year, most of which involved harassment by telephone. However, harassment through the Internet on sites such as Facebook is becoming increasingly more common, Crain said.
If students feel they are being harassed, they should tell whomever is harassing them through whatever medium to stop, Crain said. Unless the perpetrator is told to stop, it does not rise to the level of harassment.
"Sometimes people are disturbed by a communication they get that does not rise to the level of prosecution, but we do have a student judicial system that can handle that," Crain said.
After telling the perpetrator to stop, victims should not respond to harassing messages, he said.
"If they call, just hang up the phone," Crain said. "If they text message you, do not respond."
Offensive conduct that qualifies as harassment might include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling; physical assaults or threats; intimidation; ridicule or mockery; insults or put-downs; offensive objects or pictures; and interference with work performance, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or written communication of a sexual nature, regardless of where such conduct might occur, according to the commission.
UAPD received a report of harassment at 7:41 a.m. from someone who said that she and her family had been harassed by telephone repeatedly. The victim was a student, but she had withdrawn from class, said Lt. Gary Crain, public information officer with the UAPD.
The victim had been in a relationship with her alleged harasser, but then broke it off. She told police that her ex-boyfriend continued to call her after the relationship had ended and she wanted him to stop, Crain said.
The victim also told police that the perpetrator called her throughout the month of February, though she was never threatened.
"Recently, we think he has stopped," Crain said. "I spoke with her yesterday and she said there had been no calls since she reported him."
Later that afternoon, the UAPD received a report of harassment through Facebook.
A student reported that someone was sending messages to harass her using the Web site both in February 2008 and September 2007. The victim did not know who was sending the messages and the UAPD has no leads at this point, Crain said.
No threats were made in these messages, he said.
The UAPD received 25 reports of harassment last year, most of which involved harassment by telephone. However, harassment through the Internet on sites such as Facebook is becoming increasingly more common, Crain said.
If students feel they are being harassed, they should tell whomever is harassing them through whatever medium to stop, Crain said. Unless the perpetrator is told to stop, it does not rise to the level of harassment.
"Sometimes people are disturbed by a communication they get that does not rise to the level of prosecution, but we do have a student judicial system that can handle that," Crain said.
After telling the perpetrator to stop, victims should not respond to harassing messages, he said.
"If they call, just hang up the phone," Crain said. "If they text message you, do not respond."
Offensive conduct that qualifies as harassment might include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling; physical assaults or threats; intimidation; ridicule or mockery; insults or put-downs; offensive objects or pictures; and interference with work performance, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or written communication of a sexual nature, regardless of where such conduct might occur, according to the commission.
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