Criminal harassment

Nature

The crime of harassment is communicating by mail or phone with the intention of frightening or intimidating another person the threat of a violent crime, or making a anonymous phone call, or using offensively coarse language on the phone, or making repeated calls with or without speaking with no purpose of communicating.

Incidence

Criminal harassment, often manifesting as stalking, persistent threats, or unwanted communications, has seen a marked increase globally, particularly with the proliferation of digital technologies. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, millions of individuals worldwide report being victims of criminal harassment annually, with women and marginalized groups disproportionately affected. The problem spans both developed and developing countries, straining law enforcement and judicial systems.
In 2023, a high-profile case in the United Kingdom involved a former partner persistently harassing a woman through social media and physical surveillance, leading to a conviction under the Protection from Harassment Act.