Protection from Harassment

Nobody has the right to suffer persecution or harassment from their neighbours, no matter what has motivated the perpetrator to do this to you in the first place and you are protected by the law in this regard. Some instances of harassment arise as a result of a dispute between neighbours which has escalated out of control.

Sometimes it’s down to anti-social behaviour by irresponsible youths and there are other examples of harassment which are motivated by perceived differences between you and the rest of your neighbourhood by a neighbour(s) and these are usually of a discriminatory nature which is dealt with in another article contained on this website.

What Constitutes Harassment?

Harassment can occur in many forms. It can include, but is not limited to, the following types of behaviour:

• Threats of violence against you or an actual act of violence committed upon you
• Abusive and/or insulting behaviour or words
• Threats of damage to your property and possessions or actual damage to them
• Any written form of abuse or threat made to you, including letters, graffiti or any other kind of written material such as posters being put up that are derogatory towards you

Basically, harassment can be any type of behaviour or action taken towards you which threatens your own sense of security and peace or which causes you unnecessary inconvenience.

What You Can Do If You Become A Victim Of Harassment

If you feel that you are being harassed, you should immediately notify the police. It’s also useful if you have kept written records of all the occasions when any harassment has took place e.g. in what form was the harassment, what date and time it took place, a name or description of the perpetrator(s). In fact, even if you haven’t gathered all of this information or you don’t know who might be responsible and even if you’re unsure as to why you have been targeted, just give the police as much information as you can.

The more you can tell them, the quicker and easier it will be to get the harassment to stop and to instigate any legal proceedings that might be necessary. Once you have been interviewed by the police, they will be on hand to support you and to offer you any advice whilst they conduct their investigations.

What Happens Next?

The police take harassment issues very seriously. They will be there to support you although the level of support will vary depending upon the severity of the harassment which has taken place but it will be at a level that is appropriate to the gravity of the situation. They will also offer you all the required information and guidance you might need if the matter goes to court.

Depending on the nature of the harassment, they’ll also put you in touch with relevant external organisations or agencies that will be able to give you specialised support and further counselling assistance, if needed and if you wish to have that provided to you.

If You Live In Rented Accommodation

Whilst your first port of call should still be the police if you are the victim of harassment, if you also live in rented accommodation, you should also inform your landlord, local authority or housing association. They can offer additional support which might include fitting additional locks, vandal-proof letterboxes, additional fences and lighting and installing alarms which might even be linked to your local police station.

If you know the identity of the perpetrator, they can also confront them and warn them about possible tenancy agreement breaches which might be enough on its own to get them to stop and to warn them of possible eviction, if the perpetrator has admitted their involvement.

In the case of local authorities and housing associations, they might also be able to assist in re-housing you elsewhere if that’s the decision you feel would be best for you. However, if you like living in your present home, you should feel under no compulsion to move and your local authority will take all the necessary steps and offer you the support to enable you to remain put. Therefore, nobody should ever feel compelled to be driven out of their home and neighbourhood against their wishes because of a harassment issue.

Harassment is a serious offence, can cause unbearable stress and will be dealt with harshly by the police and the legal system.