DES MOINES – A recent call to police from a parent alleging inappropriate text messages from a man to her young daughter underscores why a law may be needed to protect minors from harassment or unwanted contact from adults.
A bill was introduced this week in the Iowa Senate that would make it a crime for an adult 18 years of age or older to “purposefully and without legitimate purpose” make contact with a child 15 years of age or younger after the parent or guardian of the minor has prohibited that person from having contact with the minor.
The bill, introduced by Senator Steve Sodders of State Center, states that a parent or guardian must prohibit a person from having contact with a child by filling out a report with local law enforcement and having law enforcement deliver that report to the person. Violation of the proposed law would be a simple misdemeanor.
The proposed law may have merit, as the internet and other technology has spawned opportunity for adults to sometimes prey on children. Just this week, the Mason City police department took a report from a mother who told police that her 14-year-old daughter had received an inappropriate text message from a 22-year-old man from Thornton. Police called the man’s cell phone and left a message, advising the man to stop contact with the child.
The bill is now under study in the Judiciary Committee.
Talk to a minor to a minor, now they want you in jail. Adult men here’s a pointer. DO NOT talk to minors who are not your relatives. All it can do is destroy your lives. You must assume that everyone considers us sex perverts and pedos.