What’s the difference between Stalking and Harassment?
Overview
Often stalking and harassment happen at the same time but there are key differences between the two.
The UK Stalking Charity Paladin says ‘Harassment is a nuisance, however stalking is different because it is related to obsession and causes fear.’ In practice, stalking and harassment can look like:
- Stalking:a pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour which is repeated, persistent, intrusive and causes fear of violence and distress in the victim.
- Harassment: repeated attempts to impose unwanted communications and contact on a victim or someone related to them to cause distress or fear
Identifying stalking and harassment
There are often distinct differences in the patterns that we see between stalking and harassment.
With harassment, incidences – while repeated – are often sporadic in nature and are often less planned or calculated compared to stalking incidences. Harassment is therefore seen more as a nuisance, rather than creating a safety concern for the victim.
However, with stalking, the pattern of behaviour is often subtle to begin with and then escalates. As part of that pattern of behaviour, incidences will create fear and distress for the victim and the perpetrator with be fixated and obsessive in nature.
While both are distressing, stalking is more dangerous because of the intentions of the perpetrator to exert power and control over the victim, and because they are fixated and obsessive in their actions.
Stalking and harassment are both crimes and often they will overlap because stalkers will use harassment tactics as part of their stalking behaviour.
Think FOUR if you think you’re being stalked and harassed
Often incidents of stalking and harassment might at first go unnoticed, seem small or won’t even seem connected at first. However, when incidences are combined, they form a pattern of behavior – FOUR.
- Fixated
- Obsessive
- Unwanted
- Repeated
I think I’m being stalked and/or harassed what do I do?
If you feel you’re in immediate danger, call the Police on 999.
You can contact NIDAS where our specialist Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers (ISACs) are part of the team at NIDAS. They can help you with:
- Tailored and individualized risk and safety planning
- Understanding the criminal justice system
- Advice and guidance in keeping safe
We can support you no matter where you are in Norfolk. Our aim is to listen to you, to guide and be by your side. You only have to tell us your story once. Our service will support you, your needs, your journey – your freedom.
As well as calling NIDAS, if you think you’re being stalked and harassed in Norfolk, it’s important to:
- Log all incidences personally e.g. in a notebook with dates, times and what happened
- Log all incidences with the Police either via 101, Online or by visiting a Police station (add links)
- Think FOUR; Fixated, Obsessive, Unwanted, Repeated and don’t forget that support is available if you need it.
If you feel you’re in immediate danger, always call the Police on 999.
