Stalking and harassment

Have you experienced stalking or harassment?

Stalking and harassment can take many different forms. They can range from persistent unwanted contact to serious invasions of privacy, intimidation or threats.

What is stalking and harassment?

Harassment

Harassment is when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that causes you distress, alarm or fear. This may include:

  • Sending abusive text messages or images
  • Posting abusive messages about you on social media
  • Making unwanted or offensive phone calls
  • Repeatedly carrying out anti-social behaviour towards you

Harassment can also happen in disputes between neighbours.

Stalking

Stalking is a form of harassment. It usually involves repeated behaviour directed towards you, often linked to an obsession or fixation. Stalking may include someone:

  • Following you
  • Turning up uninvited at your home or workplace
  • Waiting or spending time in places you often visit
  • Watching or spying on you
  • Stealing your identity
  • Writing about you or posting about you online without your knowledge or permission

Online stalking and harassment

Stalking and harassment can also take place online or through technology. This can be just as frightening and distressing as behaviour that happens in person. This may include someone:

  • Monitoring your internet activity, emails or other electronic communications
  • Sending unsolicited sexual images (sometimes called cyber flashing)
  • Gaining access to your email or social media accounts
  • Sending repeated messages or emails to overwhelm or intimidate you
  • Threatening to share private information, photos or messages publicly
  • Installing tracking software on your devices

How you might be feeling

Being stalked or harassed can have a serious impact on your wellbeing. The repeated unwanted attention can affect your sense of safety and your daily life.

You might feel:

  • Anxious, frightened or constantly on edge
  • Intimidated or threatened
  • Unsafe in your own home or in public places
  • Uncertain whether what’s happening is stalking or harassment
  • Worried about it escalating

What might begin as behaviour that seems annoying can escalate into something that feels intimidating or threatening, especially if it continues over time.

The person responsible may be someone you know – a colleague, former partner, friend or someone you previously dated – or someone you don’t know.

Whether you know the person or not, you’re not responsible for their behaviour. Support is available whether or not you’ve reported it to the police.

Get the help you need

If you would like information, advice or emotional support, call us on 0800 876 6155. We can listen to what has happened and help you understand what support options are available.

You can get support whether or not you’ve reported what happened to the police.

Specialist support:

National Stalking Helpline – Advice and support for people affected by stalking, run by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
Phone: 0808 802 0300

The MIX – Support for young people under 25.
Text: THEMIX to 85258

Practical steps:

If you’re being stalked or harassed, some steps that may help include:

  • Keep evidence where you can – messages, emails, photographs
  • Record incidents – date, time, what happened and how it affected you
  • Avoid engaging with the person if possible
  • Speak to trusted people if you feel comfortable doing so
  • Trust your instincts if something doesn’t feel right

Only do what feels safe for you.

Reporting stalking or harassment to the police

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999.

To report fraud or a non-emergency incident, you can:

You can also share information anonymously through Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers is a charity that is independent of the police.

If unwanted behaviour happens two or more times, it may be considered a crime and you can report it to the police.

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