[vorpalhex]

Then it's time to escalate.

If the "speaking softly" isn't working, it's time for the stick.

My aunt had an exchange student in her care. At some point there was an altercation and a boy at school slapped the (female) exchange student.

School didn't want to do anything about it, was hemming and hawing.

So my aunt phoned the boys mother and explained the situation - and was met with a "well I can't do anything".

My aunt simply replied "Well I can have her at the police station this afternoon and file a report, with photos of her bruises. After that I'm going to call my lawyer."

Amazingly, the parent of the troublesome student suddenly found the ability to do something!

Speaking softly only works of you're willing to use the stick.

[puffoflogic]

This is not a story I would tell online. When your aunt threatened to go to the police and then failed to follow through, it may have become extortion. You can threaten to sue; you can actually go to the police; you can even tell someone you're going to the police; but what you cannot do is merely threaten to go to the police.

[arcastroe]

"Send me $10,000 or I will go to the police to report past bullying of my child" is extortion. "Stop future bullying or I will go to the police to report said bullying" is not extortion. IANAL.

[tomrod]

Extortion: the practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats.

If I squint my eyes I can sort of see what you're getting at. But on the flip side, this aunt also called the parent to make sure their duty was done. So it would be hard to claim "discipline your child, please, else I will need to file a police report to stop your child's harassment" is extortion.

[mlyle]

I agree this is probably not extortion, but people step close to this line and have been surprised by prosecution or litigation. e.g. pay for the damages or I'm going to the police...

[candiodari]

Even if you somehow agree with this, you must realise it won’t work. Good luck convincing the police, the prosecution or a judge that use of the justice system is extortion ...

[mlyle]

We're not talking about use of the justice system-- we're talking about threatened use of the justice system. Which can still be OK, but one has to be very careful. People especially get into trouble using threats of a report to police to attempt to recover stolen property.

[rdtwo]

Why not threaten? I know where I live there is zero chance police will actually recover the property but I suppose some percent of the time the other person might not know that.