Hi! Another AITA post, this situation is not even an hour old and I'm questioning if I was correct to react the way I did.
//TW. MENTIONS OF CSEM, DISABILITY, SWEARING, HOMELESSNESS, GROOMING.
so, an (ex) friend of mine on Twitter has been selling csem, explicit sexual images of himself to adults, and, as anyone would normally be, I was distraught and utterly disgusted when I found out, he's 15, old enough to know this is absolutely abhorrent and illegal no matter where you look at it from.
So, while feeling impulsive, I texted him I hoped he got help and then blocked him, he tweeted about it in confusion so I unblocked him and told him that despite feeling worried for him, I couldn't ignore that he is promoting these illegal activities and harming himself, but that he's old enough to know better. He replied to me that he does this because his grandfather lost his job and he's mantaining his grandparents and his disabled mother.
As much as I feel sorry for him, I insisted it is still illegal and that there must be another way, since posting and selling that pictures through his family's house could get these people he cares about in the SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY. He proceeded to tell me I can't act all nasty about it, to get off my high horse since I don't understand his situation, and blocked me before I could answer.
Honestly, I still believe there HAS to be another way that doesn't involve selling illegal content and possibly getting himself and his family in serious trouble? I do understand the struggle, I myself I'm on the verge of homelessness, yet I'm not selling CSEM and acting offended when someone is rightfully distressed by it? I blocked him initially because, even if I care about him, I care about my mental health and not getting triggered more.
AITA?
