What Is Considered Harassment, and What Makes It Unlawful?

Harassment incorporates a wide range of activities that are punishable both criminally and civilly. On the criminal side, countries have a wide range of laws prohibiting harassment in several forms, spanning general harassing offenses and particular types of abuse such as stalking and cyberstalking.

Difference Between Criminal and Civil Harassment

The term harassment is frequently used in employment discrimination cases, although the two are not interchangeable. In some instances, such as at employment or in housing choices, federal regulations prohibit discrimination against specific groups of individuals. In these non-criminal situations, the victim can file a private civil case against the assaulter, arguing that the harassment is discriminatory.

Criminal harassment is typically limited to state law. The definition of criminal harassment varies by state. Criminal harassment is the purposeful targeting of another person with behavior intended to alarm, irritate, torture, or frighten them. Harassment may not always mean minor annoyances. On the other hand, most state rules demand that the behavior pose real harm to the person's or one's family's wellbeing.

Although state sexual assault laws vary, they frequently consider various levels and types of harassment. Various means to convey harassment, such as phone conversations, faxes, and other kinds of contact, may be listed in separate criminal legislation or a generic harassment statute. Many governments' harassment laws include if there was a reasonable cause for the contact.

Harassment accusations can vary from minor infractions to serious felonies. Suppose a person is charged with harassment and has already been charged with harassing, conveying a threat, or a domestic abuse violation. In that case, they will face a higher degree of prosecution in several jurisdictions.

Harassment committed in defiance of an order of protection might result in a more serious prosecution. Several jurisdictions will up the penalty if the harassment was motivated by race, color, nationality, lineage, religion, profession, belief system, age, handicap, or sexual orientation.

Harassment takes place in many forms. They include:

1. Domestic violence

Domestic violence happens when the individual who is mistreated and the person who is abusing them are:

• Whether you're married or have registered domestic partners,
• If you're separated or divorced,
• Whether you're dating or have previously dated,
• OR you're residing together or used to live together though aren't just housemates, OR
• Individuals closely connected, such as a parent, kid, brother, sister, grandmother, grandpa, or in-law.

At some point in their lives, an estimated 736 million women—nearly one in every three-suffer from intimate relationship abuse, non-partner sexual assault, or even both. Domestic violence is defined under the legislation as:

• Intentionally or carelessly injuring or attempting to injure someone physically.
• Sexually assaulting someone.
• Making somebody reasonably fearful that they, or another person, is about to be gravely injured. OR
• Harassment, stalking, threatening, or assaulting someone, disturbing someone's peace, or damaging someone's private possessions are all examples of inappropriate behavior.

Take into account that domestic violence doesn't have to become bodily. Abuse can take the form of verbal, psychological, or emotional harm. It is not necessary to be physically assaulted to be mistreated. Abuse may take various forms, and perpetrators often employ various techniques to exert control and authority over the individual who is being mistreated.

2. Elder or Dependent Adult Abuse

Harassment of a dependent adult or an elder is:

• Mistreatment of anyone 65 years of age.
• A relying on an adult is a person between 18 and 64 who has physical or psychological impairments that prevent them from doing regular tasks or protecting themselves.

According to the legislation, elder or reliant adult abuse is defined as:

• Bodily abuse, negligence, economic exploitation, rejection, seclusion, forced removal from the state, or any other act causes physical injury, anguish, or mental distress.
• Scarcity of items or services that an elder or dependent seniors needs by a caretaker to prevent bodily injury or emotional anguish.

3. Workplace Harassment 

Harassment is characterized similarly in a professional harassment context, even in a civil harassment case. The distinction is that harassment occurs largely at employment, and the harassed employee's company is the one who requests security for the professional and, if required, their family. In addition, LGBTQ people, as per a Center for American Progress research, face significantly higher rates of intolerance in public settings, as did homosexual New York citizens in a 2001 poll.

A practical demonstration of the following is required for a business to get a workspace harassment restraining order in favor of a staff member:

• Unlawful violence (such as harassment, abuse, or intimidation) or a genuine threat of harm has been perpetrated against the individual.
• Criminal violence or the prospect of assault can be properly regarded as occurring or having occurred in the office.
• As part of a valid labor dispute, this behavior is not permitted.
• The suspect is not doing anything that the Constitution protects.

For defamation that causes accusations, you can claim and set the law in action. You can sue for damages in both civil and criminal situations. When you believe you have to sue somebody or something.

4. Stalking and Menacing

Stalking is classified as a separate offense from harassment in certain places. Other states have single general legislation that covers both harassment and stalking. Stalking is a clear, repeated pattern wherein the abuser makes the victim reasonably fear for the safety and wellbeing of their household. Stalking over state lines is a federal offense.

In addition, Gallup statistics from polls in 143 countries in 2011 reveal that males are far more likely than women to report they feel secure strolling alone and at night in their neighborhoods in those nations, including Italy, France, Australia, and the United States. 

Some jurisdictions consider stalking to be a type of threat. Menacing could frequently take the form of continuing acts, such as stalking someone, that create the victim's legitimate dread. Single acts intentionally meant to generate a rational concern in anyone, like displaying a firearm, are typically considered menacing. States differ significantly as to how and if they draw borders between intimidation, threatening, and stalking.

5. Cyberstalking

Transmitting in interstate or foreign commerce is illegal under federal law. A message including a threat to abduct or deliberately hurt anyone, which incorporates the web. Several jurisdictions have passed legislation making it illegal to stalk someone online. 

Cyberstalking is the practice of following someone using the internet, email, text messaging, or other forms of digital interaction to track them down. Many states' harassing and stalking laws have been updated to specifically cover abusive digital messages. Cyberstalking is also punishable in several jurisdictions under laws prohibiting the illegal use of technology or online communication systems.

Harassment and Restraining Orders

While authorities can prosecute somebody with felony harassment, survivors of violence or verbal abuse can also seek an order of security or protective order from the court to prevent someone from bothering them. In cases of domestic violence, orders prohibiting stalking and restraining orders are commonly used. Civil courts issue these orders, but disobeying them might result in a distinct criminal offense and/or civil court contempt. A violation of a protection order can make a harassing, stalking, or menacing prosecution more serious.

Harassment is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of actions that might violate both civil and criminal laws. Criminal harassment varies from state to state, but it typically includes engaging in activity intended to alarm, irritate, torment, or frighten another person and instill reasonable fear in the victim for their own or their family's protection.