Prank Calls and Sexual Harassment

In the past few decades, comedians have exploited prank phone calls to great effect. However, what can be considered a prank by one person can be considered a serious case of harassment for another. Especially when pranksters believe that their edgy sense of humor wins over their abrasive word choice, the line between what is funny and what is offensive can become blurry. Pranksters should remember, though, that the person on the other end of the line cannot be sure whether or not the conversation is a joke at all.

If a prank takes an inappropriately sexual turn, what may have seemed like a harmless joke can turn into a criminal matter. Known as telephone scatologia, sexual gratification over unsolicited phone calls is a legitimate paraphilia found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. While intention is the difference between a prank and an actual incident of telephone scatologia, both remain cases of sexual harassment, and can be prosecuted as such.

Criminally speaking, the law depends on state interpretations of sex crimes laws when handling harassment cases such as these. Some states consider this crime a mixture of stalking and sexual harassment, but may have additional obscenity charges that can be attached. Over all, while this crime does not lead to punishments such as a jail sentence, it is still potentially hazardous to a person's livelihood, as even slight sex crime convictions are taken very seriously by most Americans.

Knowing the difference between a well-meaning prank and a case of harassment is crucial for any would-be comedian. In general, unsolicited phone calls to random phone numbers are poor decisions for anyone. However, knowing the proper limitations with friends and acquaintances can determine whether a joke will be properly received or end in a police investigation. To learn more about what an accused individual can do to protect their rights, contact a sex crimes attorney.

If you have have charged with a sex crime, finding a reliable attorney to help you is extremely important. Contact the Massachusetts sex crimes attorneys at the Powderly Law Office today to learn more about your legal rights.