Unwanted Contact

Unwanted contact refers to any form of communication or interaction that a person finds unpleasant, confronting, or intrusive, and that may lead them into situations they regret or feel unsafe in. This contact can occur in various contexts, including online and in-person, and is not limited to strangers—it can come from acquaintances or even people the individual initially welcomed contact from.

Key aspects of unwanted contact:

• Online context (especially concerning children): It includes any online communication that a child finds unpleasant or confronting, or that leads them into unsafe situations. This can come from strangers, online "friends" they haven't met face-to-face, or people they know. The most severe form can involve grooming, where someone builds a relationship with a child to sexually abuse them, either physically or through online sexual activities like webcam interactions or sending sexual images.

• Stalking and harassment: Unwanted contact can also involve stalking behaviors such as following someone, appearing uninvited at their home, workplace, or school, communicating repeatedly through mail, email, phone, or third parties, and even damaging property. These actions are intrusive and can make the victim feel unsafe or threatened.

• Communication forms: Unwanted contact can include phone calls, emails, voicemails, texts, instant messages, social media messages, or posting unwanted pictures or videos online. It can also involve spam or unsolicited commercial content.

Examples of unwanted contact include:

• Receiving unwanted emails, texts, or calls
• Being followed or watched
• Having someone show up uninvited at personal locations
• Receiving unwanted gifts or messages
• Experiencing damage to property or threats to safety
• Online grooming or sexual exploitation attempts

Protecting against unwanted contact (especially for children):

• Make social media accounts private and adjust privacy settings to control who can see posts and contact them
• Delete friend or follower requests from people they do not know or no longer communicate with
• Establish clear rules about what content to share online and with whom

In summary, unwanted contact is any communication or interaction that is intrusive, unwelcome, or threatening, causing discomfort or harm to the recipient. It can range from online messages to physical stalking behaviors and is a serious concern, especially for vulnerable individuals like children.