What is considered harassment and intimidation?
Harassment and intimidation are often used interchangeably. According to Police.uk, harassment/intimidation is defined as
“When someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes you feel scared, distressed or threatened.”
Actions that could be considered harassment
Listed under the Protection from Harassment Act, include, but are not limited to:
- Phone calls
- Letters
- Emails
- Visits
- Stalking
- Verbal abuse of any kind, including on social media
- Threats
- Damage to property & Bodily harm
These actions are considered harassment if they are unwanted and repeated.
How should I record harassment and intimidation?
Diary sheets
Diary sheets are a great way to record what is happening, how often and the impact this has had on yourself and your household.
Please ensure that you pass these diary sheets onto your case officer regularly so they can review the content and consider what action to take. If a case goes to court, (although this is not always necessary to stop the ASB) records of the ASB captured in good detail at the time it happened will help officers handling the case by providing credible, accurate evidence.
Most agencies will have a template ASB diary sheet that they should be able to supply you with. However, in the meantime, you can use your own diary or download the ASB Help Diary Sheet.
Here are some steps you can follow to deal with, or report the harassment/intimidation:
1. Harassment and intimidation should be reported to the police.
2. You should continue to report incidents to your housing provider and local authority where appropriate as other action may be available in addition to criminal investigation. All agencies should work in partnership to address anti-social behaviour.
We encourage victims of harassment and/or intimidation to avoid retaliating and never do anything to put yourself and/or others at risk.
Stalking
According to Police.uk:
“Stalking is like harassment, but it’s more aggressive. The stalker will have an obsession with the person they’re targeting.”
• Regularly following someone.
• Repeatedly going uninvited to their home.
• Checking someone’s internet use, email or other electronic communication.
• Hanging around somewhere they know the person often visits.
• Interfering with their property.
• Watching or spying on someone.
• Identity theft (signing-up to services, buying things in someone’s name).
Stalking may also happen online, also known as Cyber Stalking, and may include:
• Contacting someone through social media and messaging apps.
• Tracking social media accounts.
• Hacking into a computer, including installing tracking apps or devices.
• Taking control of someone’s social media profiles.
• Accessing a phone to view personal information.
• Making unwanted calls, sending unwanted texts or messages.
• Sharing or threatening to share photos, videos or personal information.
• Impersonating an online identity and attacking others.
• Using someone’s image online.
• Creating a website to attack someone.
• Attacking someone’s relatives online.
What should I do if I think I am being stalked?
If you believe you are being stalked, you should report this to police immediately.
You may also wish to contact stalking charities, such as those listed below, for further, expert advice:
Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service
Alice Ruggles Trust