Stalking and Harassment

Stalking and harassment is when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes you feel scared, distressed, or threatened. If this unwanted behaviour happens two times or more, it may be a crime, and you can report it to the police.

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. Stalking and harassment are very similar offences.

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.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Stalking

Stalking is a form of harassment, but the stalker will be obsessed 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
someone sending you photos of genitals without your permission
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.

Stalking and harassment advice- Cumbria Police

National Stalking helpline

Paladin

Action against stalking

Support Line

Victim Support

Crimestoppers- stalking advice