Support for Victims - Assault Victims

Criminal Harassment

What is Criminal Harassment?

Under Section 264 of the Criminal Code, criminal harassment (stalking) is an offence punishable by summary conviction or by indictment, with a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Canadian law says:

"No person shall, without lawful authority and knowing that another person is harassed..., engage in conduct... that causes that other person reasonably, in all the circumstances, to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them:

  1. repeatedly following from place to place the other person or anyone known to them;
  2. repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person or anyone known to them;
  3. besetting or watching the dwelling-house, or place where the other person, or anyone known to them, resides, works, carries on business or happens to be; or
  4. engaging in threatening conduct directed at the other person or any member of their family."1

A report prepared by the CRCVC2 (Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime) outlines the general behaviours that are associated with criminal harassment:

  • repeated telephone calls (caller may hang up or remain silent on the line);
  • repeated letters or stealing victims’ mail;
  • repeated emails or online harassment;
  • sending unwanted gifts;
  • showing up uninvited at work or home;
  • following, watching, tracking;
  • threatening harm to the victim, their family, friends, and/or pets;
  • harassing victim’s employer, colleagues or family;
  • vandalizing victim’s property;
  • harming victim’s pets;
  • assault (physical, sexual, emotional); and/or
  • kidnapping, holding hostage.

Resources for Victims of Criminal Harassment

  • OTTAWA VICTIM SERVICES

    Contact Info:
    www.ovs-svo.com/en
    250 City Centre, Suite 600
    Ottawa, Ontario K1R 6K7
    Tel: 613.238.2762
    Email: info@ovs-svo.com

  • OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE (OPS) VICTIM CRISIS UNIT
    Tel: 613.236.1222 Ext. 5822

  • DISTRESS CENTRE OTTAWA
    www.dcottawa.on.ca
    Tel: 613.238.3311

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  1. 1"Criminal Code Part VIII: Offences Against the Person and Reputation". Department of Justice Canada. 17/07/2009 <http://laws.justice.gc.ca/fr/showdoc/cs/C-46/bo-ga:l_VIII-gb:s_264_1/20090714/en#anchorbo-ga:l_VIII-gb:s_264_1>.
    "Criminal Harassment". Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime. 07/17/2009 <http://crcvc.ca/docs/crimharass.pdf>.