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Ministry of Justice

Stalking and Criminal Harassment

Stalking or criminal harassment can take over your life. It is a pattern of threats and actions that can frighten you and take away your feeling of self-worth and shatter your sense of security and personal safety. Stalking or criminal harassment can even lead to physical harm.

If you are being threatened, followed, watched, called repeatedly, sent things that are unwanted, or if your property or pets have been harmed, you may be a victim of criminal harassment.

Stalking or criminal harassment can be perpetuated by anyone (for example, a spouse or partner, a person you lived with, someone you dated, a client, a former employee, a co-worker, a fellow student, a peer, or a total stranger). Although women are often the subject of criminal harassment, children, adolescents and men can also be victims.

The harassment may start with conduct that seems more annoying than dangerous. However, if the stalker know their conduct is not welcome and they continue their behaviour, they are committing criminal harassment or stalking.

To speak to a Victim Service Worker call VictimLink BC 1 800 563-0808. VictimLink BC provides information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and sexual violence.

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