someone is harrassing me ...

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someone is harrassing me

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DakotaLegal's picture

We can talk about harassment

We can talk about harassment in several ways, from being a police matter to giving you rights to sue someone in a civil court…and we will. But the very first thing is your immediate safety.
 
Never assume that “harassment” won’t get suddenly and dangerously out of hand, or that it will just “go away.” If you have any fear of possible violence or trespass or home invasion: contact the police immediately. Be willing to talk about the problem with friends and interested associates, to help spread the word. This often increases your safety net…and also helps get the word out that you are not a willing victim.
 
Who you are may also give you special protections in Florida from being harassed, stalked, or taken advantage of. If you are a senior…
http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/42F7E9863E5E076E852570AB0059ED90
 
or have some disability or are under age 18… http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/abuse/publications/mandatedreporters.pdf.
 
 


  • What’s The Relationship You Have With the Harasser

 
Is this person known to you, or do you have an idea who it may be? “Stalking” has been slowly developed into its own especially dangerous threat, with special legal language under the Violence Against Women Act: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/stlkbook.pdf. This means police may act when you describe stalking but not just annoyances.
 
 

  • Having The Police Involved

 
We’ve mentioned that any concern about your safety means you should call the police immediately. This is especially true if the harasser is a former lover, has expressed specific threats of violence, or if the party is unknown but a constant harasser. Create a journal where you keep written track of the harassment, or suspected harassment: avoid lengthy or emotional descriptions of the harassment. “Just the facts” will help the police identify particular patterns, build your credibility, and perhaps even help identify a serial harasser.
 
If the harassment is done by using the US mail, you can also contact the US Postal Service. If using the internet, contact your ISP. Larger police departments will also help you do either of these.
 

  • Your Workplace Or School

 
Time after time, victims of violence have later found out that the harasser had pretty thorough knowledge of what the victim does each day. From your sleep schedule to work or school, a harasser often develops intimate knowledge of your schedule…and what you are usually doing during a day. This is often part of the reason that attacks come at a workplace…where you are not focused on a personal problem and your guard is down. Harassment also often begins at the workplace.
 
Many rules that apply to any workplace have been put together in one convenient place, by Florida's Department of Education, to address many forms of harassment. As this resource says, you may also be dealing with an illegal form of discrimination: http://www.fldoe.org/safeschools/bullying.asp.
 

  • Other Safety Networks

 
Depending on whom the harasser may be, other professional groups often have special skills. Support Shelters often have staff there, who can help get temporary restraining orders. http://www.gethelpflorida.org/shelter.shtml I am not assuming you are a woman…shelters have a duty to help men, too.
 
 

  • Florida Anti-Harassment Laws And Lawsuits

 
You may also have rights to sue the harasser in a civil court. You may be eligible for low-cost or free legal help: http://floridalawhelp.org/.Not only does the possibility of bringing a civil “tort” lawsuit help identify and perhaps literally save you from an attack, but also can save later potential victims. Here’s one definition of harassment:
 
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1006/Sections/1006.147.html
 
Finally, it’s possible that the failure to protect you, whether by an employer or the police, may also mean these groups are liable for any harm to you. http://apps.americanbar.org/labor/lel-aba-annual/papers/1999/abapanel.pdf.

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DakotaLegal's picture

We can talk about harassment

We can talk about harassment in several ways, from being a police matter to giving you rights to sue someone in a civil court…and we will. But the very first thing is your immediate safety.
 
Never assume that “harassment” won’t get suddenly and dangerously out of hand, or that it will just “go away.” If you have any fear of possible violence or trespass or home invasion: contact the police immediately. Be willing to talk about the problem with friends and interested associates, to help spread the word. This often increases your safety net…and also helps get the word out that you are not a willing victim.
 
Who you are may also give you special protections in Florida from being harassed, stalked, or taken advantage of. If you are a senior…
http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/42F7E9863E5E076E852570AB0059ED90
 
or have some disability or are under age 18… http://www.dcf.state.fl.us/programs/abuse/publications/mandatedreporters.pdf.
 
 


  • What’s The Relationship You Have With the Harasser

 
Is this person known to you, or do you have an idea who it may be? “Stalking” has been slowly developed into its own especially dangerous threat, with special legal language under the Violence Against Women Act: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/stlkbook.pdf. This means police may act when you describe stalking but not just annoyances.
 
 

  • Having The Police Involved

 
We’ve mentioned that any concern about your safety means you should call the police immediately. This is especially true if the harasser is a former lover, has expressed specific threats of violence, or if the party is unknown but a constant harasser. Create a journal where you keep written track of the harassment, or suspected harassment: avoid lengthy or emotional descriptions of the harassment. “Just the facts” will help the police identify particular patterns, build your credibility, and perhaps even help identify a serial harasser.
 
If the harassment is done by using the US mail, you can also contact the US Postal Service. If using the internet, contact your ISP. Larger police departments will also help you do either of these.
 

  • Your Workplace Or School

 
Time after time, victims of violence have later found out that the harasser had pretty thorough knowledge of what the victim does each day. From your sleep schedule to work or school, a harasser often develops intimate knowledge of your schedule…and what you are usually doing during a day. This is often part of the reason that attacks come at a workplace…where you are not focused on a personal problem and your guard is down. Harassment also often begins at the workplace.
 
Many rules that apply to any workplace have been put together in one convenient place, by Florida's Department of Education, to address many forms of harassment. As this resource says, you may also be dealing with an illegal form of discrimination: http://www.fldoe.org/safeschools/bullying.asp.
 

  • Other Safety Networks

 
Depending on whom the harasser may be, other professional groups often have special skills. Support Shelters often have staff there, who can help get temporary restraining orders. http://www.gethelpflorida.org/shelter.shtml I am not assuming you are a woman…shelters have a duty to help men, too.
 
 

  • Florida Anti-Harassment Laws And Lawsuits

 
You may also have rights to sue the harasser in a civil court. You may be eligible for low-cost or free legal help: http://floridalawhelp.org/.Not only does the possibility of bringing a civil “tort” lawsuit help identify and perhaps literally save you from an attack, but also can save later potential victims. Here’s one definition of harassment:
 
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=1000-1099/1006/Sections/1006.147.html
 
Finally, it’s possible that the failure to protect you, whether by an employer or the police, may also mean these groups are liable for any harm to you. http://apps.americanbar.org/labor/lel-aba-annual/papers/1999/abapanel.pdf.
RJasondeGroot's picture

Go see an attorney for a full

Go see an attorney for a full discussion.

In most circumstances, when you are being harrassed, the very best thing to do is to go see an attorney and have a full discussion. It might be possible to file for an injunction, but without knowing the facts, it is hard to say what needs to be done. It can get quite complicated, but an attorney who practices family law will know what remedies are available for you, if any.