There are a number of different types of activities that are called harassment, and most forms are defined in such a way that victims can seek help from various institutions to avoid harassers. The unifying features of harassing behaviors are that the offensive activity is persistent over time, causes the victim distress, and is socially recognized as inappropriate. In some cases, such as sexual harassment in the workplace, a single incident may warrant investigation, but usually the perpetrator must be warned that his or her actions are inappropriate before the behaviors can be called harassing.
Sexual harassment is one of the more commonly recognized forms of harassing behavior. This kind of harassing behavior may consist of sexual language, threats, or gestures, although when touching is involved, the activity may be called sexual assault. Unwanted attention of a romantic or sexual nature can be harassing no matter who the victim and perpetrator are, regardless of gender, status, or sexual orientation.
Creditor and police harassment are both forms of harassing behavior from people in positions of power who use their positions to distress victims unfairly, often with inappropriate language and constant contact. In the case of creditors, the money being held over the debtor's head often leads the debtor to feel helpless and refrain from seeking legal assistance. When police engage in harassing behaviors, their status as upholders of the law makes it difficult for victims to seek help.
Stalking is another common form of harassment. A stalker's actions may be innocuous when out of context, but are generally threatening when looking at the big picture. When the amount of attention the stalker gives to his or her victim becomes disturbing to the victim, even simple actions like calling on the phone can be very frightening.
Forms of harassment such as bullying are more difficult to prosecute, particularly when they involve young participants. While bullying is a harassing activity, it is generally seen as socially acceptable among young people, and victims are seen as being weak. The intent of bullying is to cause the victim distress through psychological measures or even physical violence, and so it is clear that bullying meets the definition of harassing behaviors for adults. Children are often given a pass on this behavior because they are not seen as capable of causing permanent damage to one another.
In addition to these common forms, a person can usually make a case that other types of actions may be considered harassing. For instance, if a person knows that his or her victim is terrified of dogs and continues to post images of dogs around the victim after being told to stop, some people would consider this harassment because of its intent. If a person feels that he or she is being victimized, it is worth evaluating even unconventional behavior for signs of harassment and seeking appropriate measures to stop the activity.
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amypollick
Post 8 |
@anon265631: First, call your pastor and tell him or her what's going on. He or she can then talk to the elders of your church and tell them to hang up on your ex if he does call. Then, when your ex threatens to go to your church elders, laugh at him. Besides: what could they tell him, anyway? You have to miss more than one payment on a loan before the bank forecloses on the house, and it's the bank's decision, not his. *He* can't take back the house without a court order, as far as I know, especially if your name is on the loan, too. You probably need to talk to an attorney about that, though. As for the calls and texts, change your number. Go to your service provider and explain the problem and ask to change your number. I know it's a headache, but if he doesn't have your number, it buys you some peace of mind. And only give the new number to your employer, your husband and your mom, or a close family member. When you talk to that attorney about your house loan, also ask if a no-contact order on your ex is possible. He or she can advise you about your options there, too. Good luck in getting this creep out of your life. |
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anon265631
Post 7 |
My ex husband is texting and emailing me with harassing messages. He is mad because I refuse to bow down to his demands. He is also threatening me with messages stating that if I miss a payment on the loan, he will take my house and I would have to pay it back totally. There is also a problem with him. He is threatening to go to my church elders and find out what is going on in my life. This is very stressful to me and my present husband. My present husband's heart is deteriorating and he cannot afford to have any additional stress in his life. This is not good for him. What is my recourse? Thank you. |
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anon252871
Post 6 |
Is it harassment when a landlord claims you damaged their property when you did not? The Tenancy Dispute Authority ruled in my favor but it caused me stress, cost me time and money to fight it and having had cancer several times, I can't cope with the stress which was so unnecessary. It took nearly three months for me to get my $1600 bond back. Any thoughts? I want to claim personal harassment. |
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anon180066
Post 5 |
I am a female worker who has been bullied by her boss for 21/2 years. Unionized environment-union wants to fight to keep my job, but i don't have no zest to fight. How do I approach HR for a settlement? |
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anon165022
Post 4 |
I work at a place where I am being constantly accused of things I did not do by one of my employees. She speaks little english and tells everyone I am mean to her and yell at her and throw things etc. I have done none of these things. She yells at me when I ask her to do certain duties which are in her job description. It has gone as far as her claiming hostile work environment and is slandering me. The thing is I am still employed there and she decided to quit. I am tired of having to defend myself against these false accusations. In my eyes she is doing these things to try to get me fired. I have worked there three years and have never had one complaint against me until she was hired. Would a Cease and Desist order be appropriate in this issue? I feel harassed by her. |
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anon122080
Post 3 |
If a family member tells someone you are crazy, stalker, whore and leads someone to believe this and they make you lose your job through humiliation. Then you lose your home due to not having a job. What should you do? When you have never had certified crazy papers or have ever been convicted of stalking any person. All hearsay. What should you do? |
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love0876
Post 2 |
italy12- I have not been a victim of harassment myself, but I witness it happening in my own workplace on a regular basis and I don't think that enough is being done to stop it.
My first advice would be to really confront your male co-worker. Firmly let him know that you are not joking and that you do not enjoy his comments. Let him know that you are serious and that you will file a complaint against him if the behavior persists.
If he does not get the point, I would get human resources involved. It is a big liability on the company to have harassment going in the workplace. If you file a complaint against him, they will have no choice but to take action against him. |
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italy12
Post 1 |
I am a female and I am being harassed by a male co-worker. The harassment is not overt or violent, but he always makes sexual comments to me that make me feel uncomfortable. I have told him to stop, but he just thinks I'm being flirtatious and he keeps doing it.
Has anyone else been in this situation? Any tips on what I should do? |
