What is stalking and harassment?
Stalking and harassment is when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes you feel scared, distressed or threatened. There are different types of stalking and harassment, and anyone can be a victim.
If someone has behaved towards you in a way that’s made you feel scared, distressed or threatened and it’s happened once it could be antisocial behaviour, hate crime or another offence.
Both stalking and harassment are offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. They’re crimes we take very seriously and we’re here for you if this is something you’re experiencing.
Stalking and harassment are very similar offences. Don’t worry if you’re not sure whether you’re being stalked or harassed. If you report it to the police, just tell them what’s been happening and they will be able to explain if an offence has been committed and what that offence is.
Harassment
Harassment may include:
- sending abusive text messages or images.
- posting abusive messages on social media.
- neighbour disputes that involve abusive behaviour or damage to property.
- repeated antisocial behaviour
- making unwanted or offensive phone calls.
It’s harassment if the unwanted behaviour has happened two times or more and made you feel distressed or threatened.
Stalking
Stalking is a form of harassment, but the stalker will have an obsession with the person they’re targeting, and their repeated, unwanted behaviour can make the victim feel distressed or scared.
Stalking may include:
- following someone.
- going uninvited to their home.
- hanging around somewhere they know the person often visits.
- watching or spying on someone.
- identity theft (signing-up to services, buying things in someone’s name).
- writing or posting online about someone if it’s unwanted or the person doesn’t know.
It’s stalking if the unwanted behaviour has happened two times or more and made you feel scared, distressed or threatened.
Online stalking or harassment
Online stalking or harassment is when someone monitors, stalks, harasses, threatens, controls or impersonates another person using the internet or other technology.
Online stalking or harassment may include:
- monitoring someone’s internet use, email or other electronic communication.
- cyber flashing.
- getting access to someone’s email and social media accounts.
- spamming and sending viruses.
- stealing someone’s identity.
- threatening to share private information, photographs, copies of messages.
- adding tracking software to someone’s devices.
It’s online stalking or harassment if the unwanted behaviour has happened two times or more and made you feel scared, distressed or threatened.
The impact of stalking and harassment
The unwanted, repeated attention can have a serious impact on your physical or mental health, as well as your day-to-day life. Some people who have been stalked or harassed have had to make changes to their daily lives; some have changed jobs or moved house.
It’s important that you get the support you need if this is something you’re experiencing.
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is unlawful, as a form of discrimination, under the Equality Act 2010.
The Act says it’s sexual harassment if the unwanted behaviour:
- violates your dignity
- creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment (this includes the digital environment, online)
Some examples of sexual harassment would include:
- sexual comments, jokes or gestures
- staring or leering at your body
- using names like ’slut’ or ‘whore’
- unwanted sexual communications, like emails, texts, DMs
- sharing sexual photos or videos
- groping and touching
- someone exposing themselves
- pressuring you to do sexual things or offering you something in exchange for sex.
Some of these are also forms of sexual or indecent assault.
If you’ve experienced any of these, it’s not your fault and you don’t have to put up with it.
The four warning signs of stalking
If the behaviour you’re experiencing is:
- Fixated
- Obsessive
- Unwanted
- Repeated