Mobile abuse
Question
Abusive phone calls from a relative are upsetting my wife more than she can bear. I need to stop this happening or find out how the telephone company can record the calls. Can you help?
Answer
Abusive phone calls are very distressing and a common way for people to victimise and abuse others, but it's not just bullying, it is a form of harassment and therefore against the law.
As you know who is making the calls, I assume you've already tried asking them to stop. It still remains that these calls are, essentially, illegal so one solution may be to approach the police or let the relative know you're considering this.
Your girlfriend could think about changing her phone number and not informing the relative in question, though it might be difficult to stop other family members letting it slip.
It might be a good idea to get your family together to discuss what's happening and see if you can resolve the problem. If this isn't possible, a professional counsellor might be able to help. Relate provide family counselling - you can call 01788 573 241 to find out about local sessions.
Mobile networks can't record individual phone calls as it's against the law to record calls without consent, no matter what the circumstances. However, your provider can do various things to help you deal with the calls. Every phone company is different but they may be able to keep a log of the times and the dates of calls to give to the police. Some providers can also set up a system to block individual numbers, so the abuser won't be able to get through.
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Question answered by Our Relationship Advisors
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