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How to stop international harassment

6 replies

Customs · 29/10/2022 18:21

My mother is spreading malicious lies about my aunt (her sister) to anyone who is connected to my aunt. She is sending pages and pages of letters on a weekly basis, recording messages on WhatsApp to send as voice messages, sending long emails etc. These are going to people all over the world. She is getting hold of details of anyone who might know my aunt (eg her husband’s relatives) and sending these to them, as well as family on our side eg to me, my aunt’s children etc.

My mother does not have a job, hobbies or friends and seems to have dedicated the last few years of her life to this.

As an example, my mother is accusing my aunt of stealing money from an ill relative by charging them 3x as much for their shopping as it actually costs. My aunt has receipts and my mother is accusing her of faking them. My mother won’t help the ill relative herself either as they have fallen out.

Given that my aunt is being harassed by someone who lives in a different country to her, is there any way to make this stop?

My aunt is the kindest person I know and it upsets me to see her being treated like this, so I want to help. Me talking to my mother won’t help as in her eyes I am also a bad person. Anyone who disagrees with her gets cut off.

For background I am NC with my mother. My choice.

OP posts:
Brigante9 · 29/10/2022 19:13

Unless you can sue her for libel, there isn’t much that can be done to stop people sending malicious messages. Maybe go for the Misuse of Telecommunications act, 2 or more counts can be arrestable. Tricky one.

VeniVidiWeeWee · 29/10/2022 20:10

Check the laws of the country your mother lives in.

Customs · 30/10/2022 15:36

My mother is in the UK but the vast majority of people she contacts, including my aunt, are abroad. The misuse of comms acts may be something to consider. There must have been more than 50 counts. Thank you.

OP posts:
Notanotherusername4321 · 30/10/2022 15:40

Speak to the police? They will be best placed to know what the crime would come under, and if they are applicable if the victim is overseas.

i would think she can still be charged under UK law as she is committing the crime in this country?

Georgeskitchen · 30/10/2022 16:06

Why is she doing this?
Is she mentally ill?

Customs · 30/10/2022 20:03

I haven't thought of speaking to the police, thank you for the suggestion.

Perhaps she has undiagnosed mental health issues. She's just always been a mean person, expects to be respected and obeyed, only sees faults in others and if there is a misunderstanding will assume it's malice. So my aunt has overpaid slightly on the shopping for our ill relative compared to prices I have seen on the internet - my first thought is that it's because she's shopping in a local village shop which is more expensive than the internet, my mother's first thought is that my aunt is inflating prices to steal the difference.

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