Psychological violence is an action or set of actions that directly impairs the victim's psychological integrity.

Below you will find information about some of the infractions included in this category.

• Intimidation
• Harassment
• Threats

INTIMIDATION

Someone is intimidating you if they use violence or threats to force you to do something you are not legally obliged to do, or to prevent you from doing something you have the right to do.

For example:

• persistently following you
• depriving you of objects you use
• watching your home or place of work

Advice

• Ignore the person who is intimidating you.
• Stay away from them.
• Do not respond when they provoke you.
• Tell someone you can trust.
• Avoid being alone.
• Take note of the date and time of the intimidating behaviour.
• Clearly state that you wish to be left alone.
• Report the situation to the police or to other professional resources.

You do not have to follow all of this advice before going to the police. If you feel the situation warrants it, you can contact the police sooner.

Often police intervention is combined with assistance from other responders to stop the intimidation. Police officers can direct you to the specialized resources you may need.

HARASSMENT

Harassment is often associated with intimidation. It may take various forms:

• Making or having someone else make repeated phone calls to harass you (telephone harassment)
• Following you repeatedly
• Repeatedly contacting you either directly or indirectly
• Watching a place you often go
• Behaving toward you in a threatening way

For the individual's behaviour to qualify as harassment, the situation must also make you fear for your safety or for that of an acquaintance.

Advice

See advice provided under Intimidation.

TELEPHONE HARASSMENT

Telephone harassment is a very common form of harassment. A person is committing telephone harassment if they make or have someone else make repeated phone calls for the purpose of harassing you.

A prankster or crank caller may be behind such calls, in which case they should stop on their own fairly quickly.

Advice

• List only your last name and first initial in the phonebook.
• Hang up immediately when you receive a crank call and do not respond to the caller's provocations.

If the calls persist:

• Clearly state that you wish to be left alone.
• Note the date and time of the calls.
• Get call-display to screen your calls.
• Get an unlisted number or change your phone number, or do both at the same time.
• Make a complaint at your neighbourhood police station.

You do not have to follow all of this advice before going to the police. If you feel the situation warrants it, you can contact the police sooner.

THREATS

Threats are words or actions by which someone expresses, or has someone else express for them, a desire to hurt you.

It may be a threat:

• To kill a person or animal
• To injure a person or an animal
• To damage property
• etc.

If the victim fears the threat will be carried out, a police investigation will be launched, regardless of the aggressor's real intentions. If the victim does not believe the threat will be carried out, no police investigation is launched.

The aggressor does not always truly intend to carry out the threat. Whether or not the threat is carried out, the victim may feel distressed, stressed and fearful.

Advice

Make a complaint to the police. Aggressors draw their strength from the fear they inspire in their victim: you must not tolerate this situation.

Alternate information

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