What can I do when someone is harassing me?
Asked by: Boris Kling | Last update: July 25, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (16 votes)
- Report harassment to the police. If someone is making you feel uncomfortable or unsafe and they have behaved in this way more than once, you can report them to the police. ...
- Take your harasser to court.
What to do if someone won't stop harassing you?
If you have reason to believe the harassment could escalate to physical violence or other forms of imminent harm, then contact the police right away. If you already have a restraining order in place against the harasser, then contact the police and request that they enforce the provisions of the order.
What are the three types of harassment?
- Verbal/Written.
- Physical.
- Visual.
How do you deal with someone who is harassing me?
Collect evidence of the harassment and your efforts to get the person to stop ( phone calls, emails, texts). Take everything to the police department and ask them to investigate the situation. If possible you should file a restraining order against these people.
What things count as harassment?
- 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.
What counts as harassment and stalking? [Criminal law explainer]
What are 2 examples of harassment?
Examples of harassment include offensive or derogatory jokes, racial or ethnic slurs, pressure for dates or sexual favors, unwelcome comments about a person's religion or religious garments, or offensive graffiti, cartoons or pictures.
How to press charges for harassment?
If you're in immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise, visit your local police or sheriff's department and submit a report in person. Bring evidence of the harassment, such as letters, gifts, photos, or screenshots of texts. Ask for a copy of the written police report, and then follow up with a detective or prosecutor.
How to prove someone is harassing you?
Testimonies from the accuser and witnesses are often considered the most reliable and impactful evidence. Audio or video recordings and photographs can also be used to provide evidence in a harassment case. Forensic evidence, such as emails and text messages, can be used if available.
Can you sue for harassment in Canada?
If personal injuries result from someone else's negligence, you have the right to seek compensation, which can include compensation for emotional distress. Likewise with intentional acts, such as assault or harassment, the severe emotional distress they can cause can provide the grounds for a legal claim.
How do you legally tell someone to stop contacting you?
If someone is harassing you, a cease and desist letter may convince them to stop. However, you are not required to send a cease and desist letter before taking legal action.
What happens when you file a police report for harassment?
Evidence will be reviewed by whomever is assigned to do so. Further investigation may be necessary. Once the evidence is reviewed, a decision will be made to file charges against the accused or find that there is not enough evidence to pursue charges.
What behaviors are considered harassment?
Offensive conduct may include, but is not limited to, offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance.
What are the 5 Ds of harassment?
Hollaback's "5 D's" (Direct, Distract, Delay, Delegate, Document) are different methods that bystanders can use to support someone who is being harassed, emphasize that harassment is not okay, and demonstrate to people in your life that they too have the power to make our communities and workplaces safer.
What can police do if someone is harassing you?
The police can enforce the order, making the harasser comply. Note that some orders (stay away) are more accessible for the police to enforce than others (child support). They can also arrest the harasser and put them in jail, charging them with harassment or other crimes, if warranted.
Should I sue for harassment?
Harassing Neighbors Can Become Dangerous
This is no longer a civil case if you are threatened or stalked. By law, you have the right to safety in your own home. You can consult a criminal attorney to press charges and get an order of protection. You can also choose to sue for emotional suffering or physical injuries.
Can you go to jail for harassing?
Workplace harassment in California can sometimes become a criminal offense. If your alleged behavior crosses the line into criminal activity, you could also face criminal charges and even jail time, even if no civil claims are filed and are entirely separate from such claims.
What qualifies as harassment in Canada?
Threatens or intimidates you because of your race, religion, sex, age, disability or any other of the grounds of discrimination; Makes unwelcome physical contact with you, such as touching, patting, or pinching.
Can I sue for emotional distress in Canada?
In order to pursue a claim for emotional distress in Canada, a person must demonstrate that they suffered significant harm as a result of the defendant's actions. This typically involves providing evidence of the emotional distress experienced, such as medical records, witness statements, and expert testimony.
What is the most you can sue for emotional distress?
The second type of emotional distress claim is one that is worth more than $50,000 up to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on the factual circumstances. You would need one or more medical opinions to support this claim and be prepared to have those medical advisors testify in court.
What makes a strong harassment case?
To make a strong case, you must provide evidence that clearly supports your claim of harassment. There are different types of evidence that can help prove your case. Each type of evidence plays a unique role in explaining the events, providing proof of what occurred, and supporting your version of the story.
How much evidence is needed to charge someone with harassment?
Your giving a statement and handing over any relevant communications to the police will cause them to investigate and potentially lay charges. You don't need any corroborative evidence if you could potentially testify to the fact that you became fearful, and why. But you do have at least some here.
How do you protect yourself from someone harassing you?
You can also get a restraining order to protect yourself and your family from the harasser. You'll need to file a petition for a restraining order, have it served to the person harassing you, and have a court hearing during which a judge will rule on what specific protections the restraining order will provide.
What happens after you file a police report for harassment?
After the initial report is made to law enforcement, a survivor can decide whether or not they would like to move forward with the investigation, a process referred to as pressing charges. Ultimately, the decision to press criminal charges is up to the state.
What to do if someone is harassing you by text?
Contact Your Phone Provider: If you are being harassed by someone through text messages, contact your phone provider and report the issue. They may have the option to block the sender or change your phone number if necessary.
Can you file harassment charges online?
You can report these crimes to your local FBI field office and/or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 can review a complaint and refer it to the appropriate law enforcement agency. However, one of the main purposes for the IC3 is for federal law enforcers to monitor trends and repeat offenders.