Harassment - advice and support

Report harassment

Try to keep a record of all the times when any harassment has taken place, including:

• the type of harassment (for example, unpleasant remarks or name calling, threats, physical violence, damage to property or possessions) 
• the date and time it took place
• a name or description of the person who is harassing you.

Try to 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 start any legal action. The police will give you support and advice while they carry out their investigations.

Protecting vulnerable adults and children

• If you are concerned that a vulnerable adult is being neglected or abused, please see our Concerned about someone - report neglect or abuse page. 
• If you are concerned that a child is being neglected or abused, contact us via Report a concern about a child. 

Stalking

Stalking is a form of harassment, and includes following someone about, watching them, or going to a place where they are likely be to be, such as their  house, business or work, or any place that they go to for any activity. See Durham Police: stalking and harassment for more information.

Bullying 

Bullying is a form of harassment, and usually takes place in school. For advice, including what to do if you are being bullied, or you suspect your child is, see our Bullying and harassment information.

Hate crime, anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse

Harassment may be related to age, sex, race, disability, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or any personal characteristic of the individual and may be persistent or an isolated incident. In such cases it should be classed as Hate crimes and incidents.

Harassment tends to have a strong physical component and can link to some forms of Anti-social behaviour or Domestic abuse. Bullying tends to be a large number of incidents (individually trivial) over a long period comprising constant unjustified and unsubstantiated criticism.

Remember you can suffer abuse or ill treatment in many different ways such as physical, verbal, sexual or financial.