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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 in a threatening way toward you

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

  • 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
  • Record 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, 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.

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
  • File 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, contact the police sooner.

+ See also : Bullying