What is Stalking and Harassment?
Everyone has the right to live in strong and safe communities without fear of harassment or victimisation. There are no clear cut definitions of stalking or harassment. However, generally, stalking and harassment means intentional behaviour, involving more than one incident, which causes fear, upset or annoyance to its victim. The concept of stalking in particular conveys the idea of persistent and unwanted intrusion into the victim's life, through the perpetrator following, watching, telephoning or otherwise contacting the victim.
What can I do about it?
If you are experiencing stalking or harassment, you should in the first instance, contact the police, who have responsibility for public protection. Many of the acts constituting stalking and harassment are criminal offences in themselves. The Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 contains a new statutory offence of stalking which came into force on 13 December 2010 and is intended to make it easier to prosecute stalking. Victims of harassment can also obtain a Non-Harassment Order to prevent further harassment.