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Anobscene phone call is an unsolicitedtelephone call where a person usesprofane and/or sexual language to interact with someone who may be known to them or may be a complete stranger. Makingobscene telephone calls forsexual arousal or othersexual pleasure is known astelephone scatologia and is considered a form ofexhibitionism.[1]
Telephone scatologia is usually classed as aparaphilia from a psychiatric viewpoint. It is in theDSM-5 as another specified paraphilic disorder. Related psychiatric terms (such ascoprophilia) were coined in Australia, the United States, and Germany; most of the pertinent literature is North American.[2] From the viewpoint of the recipient of the calls, obscene calls may be considered to be a form ofsexual harassment,stalking, or both.[3][4]
In someU.S. states, making obscene telephone calls is aClass 1 Misdemeanor.[5] In the United Kingdom, obscene phone calls are punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 or up to six months in prison under theCriminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.[6][7]
Generally, unwilling recipients of obscene phone calls are advised to simply hang up on obscene callers and then report the incident to the telephone company or the police. Even whenCaller ID is not shown, calls are logged by the telephone company, so the perpetrator's phone number can be discovered. However, many people who regularly engage in obscene phone calls usepayphones or prepaidcell phones, and in these cases, a more extensive investigation is necessary. The prevalence of internet telephony, and sophisticated international operations have also stymied the investigation of nuisance phone calls.[citation needed]
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