27 Calls, Zero Chill: Woman Says Ex Won’t Stop Trying to Reach Her

Sometimes harassment doesn’t come in the form of threats or angry messages. Instead, it shows up as a relentless stream of phone calls, blocked numbers, and late-night voicemails that never say a word. According to a report from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, a woman recently came into the sheriff’s office lobby to report what she believes is a continuing violation of an active protection order. The woman told deputies the calls began shortly after she learned her ex had been released from jail. Later that same evening, she received a call from a number she had previously blocked before he was incarcerated. The call went straight to voicemail, and no message was left. From there, the contact attempts multiplied. Over the next several weeks, she documented at least 27 phone calls and messages coming from a mix of blocked numbers and unfamiliar numbers from different states. Many of the calls rang briefly and left no voicemail. Others went straight to voicemail because the numbers were already blocked. In one instance, a man identified as a friend of the ex called and left a message informing her that his father had passed away. The caller reportedly said he was using another person’s phone. She also reported receiving a voicemail in which she believed she could hear the ex sniffing in the background, though no words were spoken. The calls frequently came at odd hours, including several in the middle of the night. In addition to the calls, she reported receiving text messages referencing the death of the man’s father, including a link to a song about losing a parent and a message saying he expected to be going to prison. More messages followed over the next several days, including texts asking for understanding and another referencing her upcoming birthday. Deputies documented the phone numbers, calls, and messages as part of the report. The Harassment Playbook Advocates say this pattern is a common tactic used by people trying to get around protection orders. Instead of directly contacting someone from their own phone, a person may attempt to: Call frommultiple numbers • Use friends’ phones • Use blocked or spoofed numbers • Leave silent voicemails • Send indirect messages through other people • Send emotional messages meant to trigger a response Even when a caller doesn’t leave a threat, repeated unwanted contact can still violate a protection order depending on the circumstances. Experts say documenting every call, voicemail, and message — exactly as the woman did in this case — helps law enforcement establish a pattern if charges are pursued. For victims dealing with harassment, the advice is simple: save everything, report the contact, and don’t engage.

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