Definition of harassment
Harassment is any behaviour that causes distress or alarm, and can range from verbal abuse to violence and assault.
This content applies to Scotland
Harassment - definition
The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 prohibits conduct which:
causes alarm or distress
is intended to amount to harassment (ie cause alarm and distress)
would appear to a reasonable person to amount to harassment.
Conduct in the context of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 includes speech, so would include the shouting of abuse. The conduct must have occurred on at least two occasions. [1]
Last updated: 29 January 2020