Police targeting online abusers – amid rise of cases during lockdown
West Midlands Police has launched a social media campaign targeting online abusers – amid spiralling cases of harassment during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Cases of online harassment in the region have increased by 40 per cent in recent weeks, as people spend even more time on social media platforms.
More than 2,500 harassment cases have been reported to the force in the last month, with one victim receiving 104 offensive or abusive messages in just a day.
Around a third are domestic–related – sparked by family disputes or relationship breakdowns – but others have arisen from neighbour spats and fall outs between work colleagues.
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West Midlands Police has now launched a campaign that will see Instagram, Facebook and Twitter users receive inbox messages featuring artwork – warning them "it's easy to commit crime online", and a warning that anyone committing online stalking, harassment or threat offences risks being arrested – and possibly jailed.
Chief Inspector Nicki Addison, said: "People are spending even more time on social media during lockdown, with less to distract them, and that’s a space where tensions can be fuelled and conflicts bubble over.
"We have seen a significant upturn in harassment cases reported to us, from an average of 104 a week pre-lockdown to 144 now.
Psychological
"We don’t differentiate between people abusing or harassing others face-to-face or online – it’s still an offence and we will take action. Victims can suffer very real psychological and emotional damage through being targeted by online abuse.
"Our campaign is reaching potential perpetrators through social media in the space they are using to offend. And we’re warning them that they risk arrest.
"It’s easy to commit a crime online. It only takes seconds to send messages but if those messages amount to stalking, harassment or hate crimes people can find themselves in serious trouble and possibly a date in court."
The campaign will run until mid-August. The direct messages are targeted at age groups statistics suggest are most likely to be targeted by or commit online harassment.
Some of the cases police are investigating include threats of assault, false allegations, sending of indecent images, and photos being stolen from social media accounts and posted online alongside offensive comments.
Chief Insp Addison added: "Stalking is a serious crime, an invasion of someone’s privacy, and can result in a lengthy jail term. It can cause victims to want to change the way they go about their day to day lives due to fear and upset. This is not acceptable.
"Our evidence suggests victims may experience dozens of incidents that amount to stalking, including receiving messages online, before reaching out to the police for help.
"We want people to contact us at the earliest opportunity if they feel they are being targeted."
