Recently, a friend of mine, a single mother, found herself and her children being stalked on social media. It’s a terrifying situation that no one should have to experience. I felt compelled to help her navigate this difficult situation, and I thought it would be beneficial to share the advice I gave her. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to report harassment on Facebook and Instagram.
It’s important to take immediate steps to ensure you and your children’s safety. Here are some steps you can take:
- Report to the Social Media Platform: Most social media platforms have mechanisms to report stalking or harassment. Report the person who is stalking you.
To report someone on Facebook for harassment, follow these steps:
- Go to the profile of the person who is harassing you.
- Click on the three dots in the top right-hand corner of their profile.
- Select “Report.”
- Choose “It’s harassing me” from the menu that appears.
- Click “Continue.”
- Follow the prompts to finish filing your report
To report harassment on Instagram, here are the steps your friend can follow:
- Go to the profile of the person who is harassing you.
- Tap their username from their Feed, story post, or from her chat with them. She can also tap and search their username to go to their profile
- Tap in the top right of the profile
- Tap Report
- A list of options will be provided for her, she should click report
- Click “it’s posting content that shouldn’t be on Instagram”
- Click “bullying or harassment”
- Choose who is being bullied, it could be her, someone she knows, or someone else she witnessed being harassed by the same user
- Click submit report.
- Document Everything: Keep a record of all interactions with the stalker. Screenshots, messages, and other forms of communication can serve as evidence if you decide to report this to the police.
- Privacy Settings: Review and tighten privacy settings on all social media platforms. This can limit what information the stalker can see and who can contact you.
- Block the Stalker: If the social media platform allows for it, block the person who is stalking you. This will prevent them from seeing your profile and contacting you.
- Inform Friends and Family: Let your friends and family know about the situation so they can support you and be aware of any strange behaviour.
- Contact Local Police: If the stalking continues or if you feel threatened, do not hesitate to contact local police and provide them with all the evidence collected.
- Seek Legal Advice: If the situation continues, you might want to consider seeking legal advice. Laws vary by location, but many places have laws against stalking and harassment.
Remember, it’s crucial that you don’t engage with the stalker. Responding can often encourage the stalker and escalate the situation.
I hope this guide can help anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation. Remember, you’re not alone, and there are resources available to help you. Stay safe, everyone! 🙏