Can I Go to the Police if Smoeone Threathens Me and My Family

This article explains what happens afterward harassing texts are reported to constabulary or other law enforcement. The first article in this series provides detailed information about how to report harassing texts to police enforcement. This article is the second part in the series.

After you have properly prepared your text message harassment evidence and submitting it to law enforcement, you may exist expecting to receive an immediate response from police due to the pain and suffering that y'all have been caused. However, this typically is not the case at all. In this article nosotros volition cover the processes that y'all need to exist prepared for, providing yous followed my instructions in the first part of this article. If you did non follow my directions on reporting harassment to police, your results could be completely different.

1. Text Message Harassment Bear witness Submitted

One thing you lot demand to realize is that what yous take seen on idiot box is not reality. No team of sexy female and ripped male detectives are going to ponder over your evidence in a sleek and stylish boardroom. Nobody is going to exist drawing up poster board size charts of your prove to share with their beau law enforcement officers and nobody is going to blitz to aid y'all and your family. The only exception to this is if you're a glory and/or your instance is newsworthy. And even if you feel your case is worth of being on the news, it most likely won't be unless it involves a celebrity, since the constabulary are already overloaded with crimes of "bigger importance" (in their optics). Lamentable, the truth sucks sometimes.

Later your bear witness has been submitted it should go to a detective. Exercise not mistake a detective for a police officer, as they are two completely different roles. A police officer does non accept the capabilities of a detective. A detective is a "promotion" from "officer." A detective is able to overstep jurisdiction boundaries to ask about information. And then, with that being said, it really is important to accept your case to a person who can truly investigate the example.

So let's say yous did properly submit your evidence and it did go to a detective. You can now expect that they volition review your text message harassment evidence.

2. Review of Your Harassment Evidence

The "review process" totally depends on where you live and the person working your case. States similar Michigan are far backside in terms of Internet/cyber/"virtual" offense. States like California are on acme of their laws and continually adapt to the irresolute times. While it would be nice to be able to expect that your detective will exercise something promptly about your harassment, it may non exist the reality.

Common Mistakes in Harassment Reports

A review of your case volition start off with a look at the bear witness you provided. Keep in mind: the detective you are dealing with could be unfamiliar with technology. Unfortunately, in that location are no current requirements for law enforcement to be computer savvy or accept a thorough understanding of Smartphones, IP addresses, Facebook then on, despite the always-increasing amount of harassment and stalking occurring using these devices.

Let'southward say yous take a somewhat up-to-date detective who has the time to invest into trying to figure things out: He or she is going to glance everything over to ensure it makes sense. If you are leaving out valuable details or if things just don't "add up," the detective is going to take your case less seriously. Here are examples of what can lead to this situation:

1. If someone is harassing you and you continually responded, then you lot have "fueled the fire." If you responded with anything other than "Cease Harassing Me," so you are being a goad to the drama. If you do not desire to be harassed, then do not respond to the texts. Yes, information technology hurts badly to accept your children chosen names, but if yous text back to defend your children, yous are not enervating that the harassment cease. Instead, you are making some other assault more than likely by showing involvement and no fear of the individual harassing y'all.
2. Another major error is leaving out critical details. If y'all "forgot" to include the page of evidence showing that you lot spent two hours bombarding the text-message-harasser with texts of your ain, yous might as well scrap your whole case because you are just as guilty, even if you were provoked and reached your breaking point.
3. Additionally, if your evidence is not complied properly, the detective is going to have a nigh-impossible time trying to navigate it.

What you see on television receiver isn't likely to be what will happen in the investigation of your report.

3. Getting the "Full Story"

Once over again, we have to set up aside the crime shows we see on television and look at reality. The detective will not exist boot in the harassers front door and pinning him/her to the ground to fight for the cell telephone located in their pocket.

Instead, the detective will either phone call or possibly (if you are lucky) show upward at the culprits door. Well-nigh likely they volition just call and speak to the harasser over the phone and record his/her "statement." Information technology is too nigh likely that the harasser is going to throw the brawl back into your court and blame yous. If you lot genuinely are at fault for playing into the harassers game, the unabridged case volition exist written off as a "common dispute," meaning neither party is correct or wrong considering both parties fed the harassment game.

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4. Detective Decides What Tin can Exist Washed

Some other common misconception is that the person filing a complaint always gets to decide whether to press charges or not. Accept you ever watched (or been to) existent court? In this type of state of affairs, an private doesn't printing charges. The land presses charges if the case is accounted to be something the prosecutor wants to be pursue.

In the event that your text message harasser has sent yous decease threats or threatened to flop your vehicle, and then 2 days after your vehicle is bombed, information technology is very possible that criminal charges will be pressed, simply you lot will not actually be the 1 pressing them.

If the detective decided there is nothing that can be done, they will likely simply render your testify.

If your evidence is returned to you lot and you are told there is nothing that tin can be done, practise not end striving for justice.

Read More From Owlcation

TEEKAY on February 27, 2020:

I was staying with my beau he in one case trounce me up and I ended up have a miscarriage and he came and apologies and I forgave him then after a calendar month he left his phone went to his friends and his telephone receiving a notification and I opened information technology. it was a girl saying that "I want my phone your phone police took it" I was very shocked that it perhaps possible that am staying with a criminal.

so I called her with my phone wanting to hear motility because information technology'due south clear that I don't know this guy very well, so she said he'southward my beau and we exchanged phones to police tracked the phone that I was using and took it, they said that it was stolen.

so please tell him I want my phone and adept luck with having him as your boyfriend.

I was shocked and wasn't fighting her so she told me more about him and what he did to her. then Mr fellow came back and I started asking him but in a polite fashion of style and he didn't requite a damn near explaining he just said you know everything correct so why do you have to ask me!! I kept quite but irritated considering he didn't tell me about his girlfriend the simply person I know it'southward him infant mama who passed on last year early on. and so I called dorsum the daughter telling the that your boyfriend is denying everything and guess what afterward I hang up, I went outside to get some fresh air and when I came back he was gone and took my telephone with him then that he tin transfer some cash in his account considering he's an idiot and he doesn't work I was the ane feeding and paying hire for him and now it's month end and he took my phone and my whole pay.i deceit even pay rent and buy food and when am calling he doesn't selection upwardly, I don't know what to practise

Mike Napoli on February 26, 2020:

If I threatened someone past text message how long can they put that over my head how long is it good for

ZZzzz on November 20, 2019:

The guy I saw simply once, talked for a calendar month just on the phone, started threatening me that he will reveal all my "dirt" (I don't have any, but he is a real charming sociopath, that tin brand up annihilation and people can believe him) I blocked him everywhere ii months agone because he was sending me ridiculous texts, doing gaslighting etc. When he was blocked everywhere he would leave voicemails (blocked people can go out voicemails which are going to a blocked folder) about me spying on him in instagram creating fake profiles (which I have never washed) and if I will not cease he will reveal all my secrets and all my clay, he doesn't know anything but I'chiliad scared he can make up smth and everyone will believe him..I'thousand scared he tin can injure me physically besides even if he didn't say information technology in these voicemails, simply he is sociopath..what should I do?..I don't know his last name, address, DOB, how tin can I become an society of protection? I'm constantly scared now

Erica South on October 29, 2019:

Some of the comments are off and on. First of all if y'all dear yourself you will non tolerate any nonsense like threats, calling 100 times saying aberrant things and involving your family. That is crossing the line and whatever person with common sense know better to fifty-fifty phone call someone phone like that it's ridiculous. The person that is even maxim negative things calling you lot names evidently don't love themselves enough to focus on themselves. Everything is a reflection of who they are and how they feel nigh themselves. They are completely miserable and show signs of a narcissist and sociopath and need a reality bank check real quick and you shouldn't have to live in fearfulness or even get harassed by someone that is non wanted. Everybody deserves to be happy and hopefully one day they'll be happy also. So my answer is yeah love yourself and protect your energy at all cost. Shut em down

Teri on September 05, 2019:

Text and phone harassment from an ex? Really? Unless they are threatening you and/or constantly using other phone no#, simply block them. Otherwise, you are thriving off the attention. I know. I do it to my ex bf but he won't block me. And then obsessive middle broke me keeps thinking there'southward hope. Just Perhaps this next text will do information technology. Yea. Stupid. Still stupid as of today. Good god I need to permit him go. :( What a dumb human relationship. But and so over again...... I'd better cheque to see if he responded. Lol

chloe on September 04, 2019:

hi I been harassed by young human being chosen norman masson not only recordings rude messages and harassing my mum if this can exist look in to information technology exist great his information technology 29 years old he lives in Aberdeen

yUmumgay on August xv, 2019:

I totaly agree with ZombieGoreGasm

ZombieGoreGasm on August 07, 2019:

Some of these comments on here are so stupid that I can't fifty-fifty believe the person posted them. Near sound similar foreigners and children. "Miss morales is mean to me" dude really? Grow up. Some of you lot on here are ridiculous. If someone texted y'all in one case and you were that traumatized that they need to be arrested, you need aid. Y'all are the reason that no ane takes cyber harassment seriously. When you get harassed for 2 years direct and the person keeps making new profiles to harass you, demand sex activity, transport you porn, and so escalates to calling you literally 100 times back to back, makes threats nigh murdering you and sends you detailed messages virtually how he wants to rape and slaughter your children all while stalking your business firm and sending you pictures of your home, your children, and you he took while following y'all, then you lot tin can get on here and cry about feeling harassed and being agape. Some of y'all have no idea what true stalking is and how information technology feels to be terrorized.

Cesar Rivera on July 15, 2019:

I don't understand these people today that can't have shit they put them selves in so you texted them over and once again and they get mad and say they are going to report you lot like grow upwardly and get a life and don't wast the cops time similar I mean you are the one that put your self in that location in the starting time identify person

Courtney Briggs on June 29, 2019:

Anyone calling the cops over harrassment is a lame. Grow up. Bigger crimes are happinging and nonetheless people are worried about who called or texted!! Wow its called BLOCKED endeavour information technology out onetime. Man up and call the copa for a expert reason non some impaired ass oh i got a text from my ex i better call thecops, similar really dude.

Victor moreno on June 21, 2019:

I seek aid i go constant texts harrasing me and extorsionating me for cash please i demand assistance i get treats agains my life and my family

People are taking my accounts away from me on June 20, 2019:

Hi my name is Teresa Faith Cusimano. Im getting my accounts taking away from me. And my jail cell phone also. It needs to stop. I deceit use my prison cell phone to go an new yahoo account.

Thank you lot.

Teresa Faith Cusimano

Coolstory1212 on February 23, 2019:

hullo my names ryan so lol im a human being and im 20 i have a situation just likes yours only really 4 done nothing wrong i was cheated on by my sugnificint other and she tryed geting harrsment charges on me i did not thretn her or ant thing merely kept asking why she did information technology and wasnt going to stop until i got a text dorsum why she did it and now i take harrsment charges for beingness a polite loveing person and then next time you printing charges call back twice

jennyfromthabay on Feb 05, 2019:

What if you lot are arrested on a warrant for false charges of harassment that was already served on your hubby for the aforementioned offense that was dismissed in court? The cop who took me in let me look at the warrant again and information technology was a blurry copy that had a name scratched out and mine written on top.

In that location is a cop here in this small town who hates my married man, my husband doesn't remember him as well much, just that the guy went to loftier school with my stepdaughter, who is 26.

Nosotros have pending charges already for what the cop originally prepare us up for (planting evidence), and while in court for this, my lawyer tells me I am about to exist re-arrested on charges in another canton! For texting an ex-employee of mine! This text merely asked him why he had lied about me and got me fired. I genuinely wanted to know, I was sad considering we were close friends. I said I heard he was the one who got me fired, only that if it wasn't him, then I wish him the all-time and he will exercise a good job taking over the store. I deleted his number after that.

An hour later we get a call from the PD saying that my former employer called police saying I had threatened him and kept texting and calling. But all PD said is to just don't go by the place of business organization and no contact with anybody there. Never heard from him once more. At present, six month later, I am in court and next matter I know, I'g getting sent to another county on a $500 greenbacks bail. This makes no sense. And today going to courtroom for the harassment, I find out it's going to be continued and there are other new charges. I practise not take a record, I am a housewife/college student, and I accept care of my grandbaby primarily. I experience like I am in the twilight zone, because I believe this small boondocks hither (and I am not from this area or land) has a creepy set up going on, and everyone is ignoring it. It feels unreal, and I am terrified what I volition be charged with next. I know this is way off the subject, but I am desperate for advice from ANYONE who has any advice at all. Please help!

Vs on February 05, 2019:

I study my hubby's ex wife because she'southward been texting me and my family since 2015. I did a mistake final year and i respond one of her messages only after i regret and i ship her one concluding message request her to leave me and my family live in peace. She just texted me again. Can i file for harassment? Or considering i answered ane time i cannot go on? I am tired of this... help.

wondering nearly restraining guild on September 04, 2018:

how to terminate passave aggressive harrasment from a daugther and an exwife., daily text messages about my girlfriend and the girls we are racing, statements that my girlfriend is a low life from some other country who is zip, how her family comes from cipher and my daugther is so much ameliorate and perfect that my girlfriend., that i drinkable also much and i am incapable of runing my own life, daily texting like 70 or 80 text from the same person. for starters

P on Baronial 24, 2018:

I am being harassed past my

Son begetter daughters and cheats and i am sober mom takeinh intendance ofour son has autism spectrum disorder

My husband'southward girl told me to die

Djdjdjdjjjx on Baronial 13, 2018:

Going to get out names out, but I am going to courtroom for a situation where I've been accused of terrorism over text. May I justify I haven't actually done annihilation simply someone took my words I information technology of context and the detective in my county plant it worthy of a written report, also I was 16 at the fourth dimension, currently 17. I'm going rock say this at present, if someone is threatening y'all, you're hands able to make a case. Just expect at what is happening to me. I'm going tomorrow's but I recollect I just get a probation because I'm pleading guilty. It'southward amend than having multiple cases for something then pathetic. But I might go nothing since the evidence is literally me calling someone a slut""""" (I was joking btw)

Bart on August 12, 2018:

I have a family fellow member that dislikes our current president and continually group texts all other family unit members with complaints.

A group text harassment story on nightly news needs to be aired that information technology is illegal and reputation or skilful standing character of the perpetrator is at gamble. Somehow I don' retrieve it will happen because nightly news seems to be trying to promote division.

Xxxxx on July 23, 2018:

I met someone online it started of groovy then he wanted me to leave my job and my life behind he made and then many lies like he was dying and he had so many chest pains but he wanted me to ally him .he also told he got a nurse washed for hassling him now he is gonna marry her merely withal keeps texting me I've blocked his number merely I'm scared is this a police matter

? on June 21, 2018:

Ok I meet some one on Facebook and I was going though a bad time with my husband well I just talk to this person for a week and told him I going to cease talking to you I am working things out with my husband now that guy keeps treating me that he gonna kill me and my kids I block him and every thing just he keeps message me from dissimilar emails and calling Private I all the same have not told me husband nigh this and I deleted the message what tin can I do

Cayden on June 08, 2018:

This is a skilful app

Elizabeth on May 20, 2018:

Hello my name is Elizabeth Sanchez miss morales looks at me like she had a problem with me also she looks at me nasty way miss chavez scratched me besides miss morales and miss chavez are bad teacher I feel like I got molested by miss morales and miss chavez there both make fun of me I how to Joe baca middle schoolhouse miss morales insults me miss morales talks crap to me

Daughter on fire on Apr 17, 2018:

hi is anyone can aid me my ex keep threatening me because when i come here in sg he bought for me the ticket amd at present we breakup he's asking the money and i can't able to pay for it and now he's threatening me that he will send my naked picture to all my friends and family actually i don't know about this picture but he stolen shot on me while am naked

delight assistance me i don't want to destroy my reputation and why should i oay?he as well used my trunk his stupidi!

Kevin caudill on March 30, 2018:

I take been threatened for my life over itunes they told me they were going to kill me what should i do i have testify

Anonymous on March 22, 2018:

Will the authorisation contact the harrasser via email likewise? Person I bothered told I was harrassing and said she reported and I wish to know if I'm in problem or not.

Covfefe on February 21, 2018:

I proceed getting text messages that read, "covfefe."

Anyomnous on January 18, 2018:

My ex fellow filed a restraint order on me I admit I did proceed contacting him because I found out he gave me herpes I have text messages with him responding back to me asking me to put money within his account if I was harassing why even answer of form I'thou gonnna go along contacting u until I go through to u equally to what u did now he's dating a new girl off a dating site due north I can bet he didn't tell her he take herpes which he told me after the fact that had it I'one thousand disgusted Been together for iii years

Bearding on January 09, 2018:

I started talking to a friends ex boyfriend and refuses to have a serious relationship so he's harrassing me calling me a whore bowwow etc. And trying to interruption up a 20 yr or so relationship with my friend. He's taking pictures of me and my apartment and gave them to his ex to beginning a fight with the 2 of us I had know ideal he had taken theses pictures. I blocked his number and messeges but my phone can show the cake messeges he has sent he won't stop texting me.

John on Dec 27, 2017:

I recieved 2 text yesterday. I chosen me a whore and another a neuscance. Naught threatening. All I know so far is that it's a fake number. I haven't gotten anything else. Volition the police even carp tracking the person down? I experience bullied.

Bearding on December 27, 2017:

The laws ought to be changed in lodge so that the laws state and dominion that if you do not want someone to contact you, you lot must tell the person so directly instead of (one) reporting the person to the police and/or (2) having someone contact the person on your behalf. Reporting a person who is not out to harm you and has never threatened you to the police is despicable and having someone contact the person on your behalf instead of you yourself contacting the person straight is extremely rude. As well, you ought to be required (a) to state the reason why you no longer want anything to do with the person fifty-fifty if it was you who initiated e-mail or other contact with the person in the starting time place, (b) to bear witness that the CIA did not educate you lot and turn you against the person, that your father did non order you to cease contacting the person or else your begetter will kick you out of his home and brand y'all homeless, and that you are not subjected to any other form of duress whatsoever just that you made the conclusion to end having anything to practise with the person and/or that you want the person to terminate contacting you out of your own gratis will, and (c) to tell the person how is the person supposed to know whether or non you inverse your mind and decided to have something to do with the person and/or allow the person to send y'all e-mail and/or in whatsoever other way to contact y'all, for the person is not a mind reader. The law likewise must require that peace be made between all people who have ever contacted each other through email and/or any other means.

Please create and pass a law that makes it illegal for the law to keep files on people who are non out to harm anybody and have never threatened everyone.

In addition, people who are non out to harm anybody and take never threatened anybody should not be jailed, arrested, or in any other style punished. The laws ought to exist inverse and so that if someone sends you several emails but yous do not reply to any of the emails merely you do not tell the person who sent you the emails to cease contacting you, the sender of the emails cannot be imprisoned, arrested, or in any other way punished. If you lot do not want someone to contact you, y'all ought to be required to tell the person and so straight instead of (one) reporting the person to the police and/or (ii) having someone contact the person on your behalf. Reporting a person who is non out to damage you lot and has never threatened you to the law is despicable and having someone contact the person on your behalf instead of you yourself contacting the person directly is extremely rude. It thus ought to exist illegal for the police to go on files on harmless people, for this violates people's privacy and gives them an unjustified bad reputation.

Furthermore, imprisoning, arresting, and/or in any other mode punishing harmless people diverts police manpower to the wrong person, thus making information technology incommunicable for the police to protect people from those people who are actually dangerous. It is thus wise to make peace between people who have always contacted each other through email or any other means instead of punishing harmless people.

Delight reply.

anon. on November 24, 2017:

so i had an affair with this older male when i was with my ex swain and i sympathise it wasn't correct and i pretty much got myself into this... but now i'k in a actually good human relationship and he somehow popped back into my presence and is trying to dispense my ex boyfriend into something he knows nothing about. i have told my boyfriend the truth about him existence one i had a little thing with in the past and he believes me which isnt the bad function, but he is trying to tell him things about my past and we did together and i'm pretty sure trying to harass his mode into breaking me and my boyfriend upwardly. is this actually considered a type of harassment ?

Ask him on November 15, 2017:

I have been stalked and harassed for almost two years now, the police are not skilled in this expanse and it is very frustrating. I am hoping the loser is defenseless very soon. He's only called me 6x then far today, slow day.

Ha on November ten, 2017:

My account got hacked and someone sexually harassed my friends

GMa on Nov 09, 2017:

I received a inappropriate text and idea is was some one else. When I plant out who information technology was I decided to non press charges but it was out of my hand. Information technology'south still going to courtroom. Does this hateful the state picked this up.

Annomous on Oct 26, 2017:

I had an thing during a horrible time in my marriage, now the guy is threatening to put pictures all over the net and send them to my hubby. What can I do?

Hhah on October 16, 2017:

I'k beingness defendant of sending text letters and calls to my husbands ex ,the detective now wants to speak with me just did tell me the calls where not traced from my phone number he merely needs to speak with me cuz she believes information technology's me , I have had problems with this daughter from the get become . Why does the detective desire to speak with me if the calls are not trased to my number ?

Oli on October 08, 2017:

I started dating this guy, a coupke weeks into it he got some traumatic news, which resulted in him shutting everyome out of his life including myself. I had a hard time dealing with it. I received a telephone telephone call at my work in which a human was request questions regarding my swain. Proceeding to tell me to stay away from him. I idea it was my boyfriends way of no longer wanting me in his life. When questioned, my swain said it was not him. The adjacent day i tried to simply showtime over and he said it was over. I went to his business firm pounding on his door ringing the doorbell etc. He called the police. I have since discovered that it was a customer of mine sending him and i messages. He did this to brand sure he was no longer in my life thinking id desire him. Well it worked, he dumped me. And Im left to observe out who this person is. Exercise i file a law report? C an they tracl who he is when the number i telephone call is suspended. He ruined my relationship and im devastated

anonymous in NC on August xvi, 2017:

I texted my friend a few times earlier learning that she had changed her phone number. The out-of-character (cold and short) replies I received before knowing it was not her tipped me off that I should discover out if she did, in fact, take a new phone number. I switched my communication to the correct telephone number for my friend as soon as I got her new number.

And so I received a text message with a picture of male genitals from the stranger using my friend's one-time phone number.

I believe this to be a crime. The individual who sent the photo knew that I did not know who was on the other stop of the telephone number. It was unwanted visual sexual assault. I called the police department and their advice was to block the telephone number and not engage. Duh.

But what of the offense? Shouldn't there exist a channel through which to study (and expect follow-through) for this sort of matter? I believe that text messaging /social media / cyber behavior should exist expected to comply with the laws of real-life interpersonal interactions.

Anonymous on August 11, 2017:

A girl who no one knows the name of had been brainwashing my now boyfriend for ix months, I had been his friend for a while until he I realized how adept he was to her and how he didn't deserve to be treated like shit. He finally realized when me and him started getting closer, we talk everyday. She wouldn't text him for a week or so and had been telling him to let go of her because she wants to kill herself, she even stooped down so low as to telling him her dad beats her when we heard him inquire in the background of a chat call, "What do yous want at the store Honey?" before she hung upwardly. He finally got tired of it I told him he needed to tell her how he felt and to exit her before he got anymore depressed than he already was because of her. He finally did and that day we got together, nosotros're still together now and that was effectually May 20th. I would like to know if she can practice anything about me telling her to keep my name out of her mouth and that I'd make sure the whole fourth dimension she says bad shit about me that I'd have an issue with information technology. She has harassed me and him for these past few months with accounts on a game telling ME to "Kill myself". Yet she thinks because of the bad things nosotros said about her considering they were true, that she would become anywhere knowing we live no where near her. Is at that place anything she tin do with false screenshots hiding the rest of the chat?

Tessa on July 30, 2017:

Well Jose Reyes keeps texting me a lot and calling me a lot to and he is Harassing me by calling me with dissimilar numbers to

Anonymous on June 24, 2017:

My ex friend used to message my married man and I trying to get us to separate. And afterward I had blocked her on all forms of communication she got a hold of his number and started harassing him. If I threatened her in self defence force does that put me in the wrong?

Kelly Krause on June 14, 2017:

When filing the evidence, what jurisdiction should you contact? Say the person lives in another land?

kailey on June 06, 2017:

I have been bullyed bye a 77 year old and i text her maxim that she volition be bit in the but for what she done and i and told her that i volition luve on and when ahe dies that it will be over and she chosen cls they washed nothing and i am afred of her pushing charges tin she and i even said rhis is not a treat that i have every police to tell her i i experience

Name on May 06, 2017:

Is it the same for minors?

Anonymous on April 12, 2017:

I similar to written report my ex who keep on texting me almost nonsense text he won't quit texting me

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Source: https://owlcation.com/social-sciences/How-to-Report-Harassing-Text-Messages-to-Police-PART-2

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