Violence against Women Partnership
Stalking & Harassment
Under Scots Law there is no specific crime of stalking and most stalking behaviour will be dealt with under the common law offence of 'Breach of the Peace'. Less commonly, stalking could be prosecuted under the common law offence of 'Threats'.
Stalking is a range of unwanted behaviours carried out by one person, or persons, against another. It normally manifests as a course of conduct rather than an isolated incident and can include:
- Following/surveillance
- Standing outside a home, school, place of work or anywhere the woman may be
- Verbal abuse or humiliating a woman in public
- Sending unsolicited, threatening or unwanted mail
- Sending unsolicited, threatening or unwanted text messages or emails
- Sending unwanted/unsolicited gifts
- Threats against the woman, members of her family, friends or pets
- Damage to property
- Physical or sexual assault
- Stalkers rarely employ one type of stalking behaviour and often employ several.
See the Network for Surviving Stalking website for further information.