Cyberbullying is often thought of as a problem among teenagers, but people seeking a divorce in Pasadena may find that online tools give an angry ex the ability to harass and intimidate them even after the divorce is finalized.
Cyberbullying can be hard to handle because overworked local law enforcement officers with limited resources will give priority to cases that involve physical violence. However, that does not mean you should ignore the issue completely. Make copies of all communication that you receive. Take screen captures of Facebook posts, Tweets, blog entries, and anything that might be deleted before the authorities have a chance to see it.
If you have an active social networking presence, check your privacy settings carefully and have them set to the most restrictive levels. If you have a child, briefly explain to him or her that you wish to keep your social networking private. Sometimes, parents will gain access to an ex's account through their child's profile.
If you need to receive online communication from your ex for scheduling and logistics issues surrounding child visitation, set up an email account that is just for this purpose or use a court-provided email address. This will prevent you from having to deal with any inappropriate emails in your work or personal account. If you do not have children with your ex, the best course of action is to block his email address from your account or to set up a new address. Do not respond to any of the harassing emails, as this will only encourage more contact.
Even though the current laws surrounding cyberbullying are weak, courts are beginning to pay more attention to this issue. Model Christie Brinkley's recent divorce settlement included an intermediary to deal with email bullying that Brinkley had suffered from her ex husband, Peter Cook. Your Pasadena divorce lawyer can help you decide what actions should be taken, depending on the level of bullying you are experiencing.