Stalking and Harassment at Work: Definitions, UK Law, and Employer Responsibilities

Learn the legal definitions of stalking and harassment, how they differ, and what employers must do to support victims and protect lone workers.

Stalking and Harassment: Definitions, UK Law, and Employer Support Tips

Stalking and harassment affect millions across the UK — including in the workplace. According to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, up to 1.5 million people in England and Wales experience stalking annually. For employers, HR teams, and colleagues, understanding how to identify, report, and support victims is critical to fulfilling your duty of care and maintaining a safe, respectful workplace. This guide defines stalking and harassment, explains UK legislation, and outlines practical steps employers can take to protect their teams.

What Is Harassment in the UK Workplace? Definition and Examples

Citizens Advice define harassment as "unwanted behaviour which you find offensive, or which makes you feel intimidated or humiliated. It can happen on its own or alongside other forms of discrimination".

They note that you don’t need to have previously objected to something for it to be unwanted. Harassment in the workplace may also be addressed through an organisation’s anti-harassment policy or code of conduct.

Examples of Harassment in the Workplace and Online

Examples of harassment could include:

Abusive words – whether written down or spoken
Online communications containing offensive or embarrassing content e.g. emails, or posts/comments on social media
Objectionable images and graffiti
Inappropriate physical gestures
Facial expressions which are intended to humiliate
Offensive jokes.

These behaviours can escalate if left unchallenged — especially for lone workers or employees without clear reporting support.

UK Harassment Law: When Can Someone Be Prosecuted?

The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is intended to protect people in the UK from harassment or similar behaviours.

For someone to be charged under section 2 and section 4 of the Act, the relevant evidence needs to be collected and presented to the court. A solicitor will advise on this, however, examples include evidence that the harassment has occurred and evidence that the behaviour exhibited by the perpetrator was intended to cause alarm or distress.

Employers should be aware that ignoring patterns of harassment may also expose them to risk under employment law and health and safety legislation.

Furthermore, under the Equality Act 2010, harassment is classed as unlawful if it relates to:

age
disability
gender reassignment
race
religion or belief
sex
sexual orientation.

What Is Stalking? Legal Definitions and Common Behaviours

The National Stalking Helpline defines stalking as: "A pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour which is repeated, persistent, intrusive, and causes fear of violence or alarm and distress in the victim".

Examples of Stalking Behaviour

In terms of behaviour, stalking can manifest in several different ways. Some examples of stalking include:

Regularly following a person’s movements or observing their social patterns or behaviours
Hanging around places likely to be frequented by the victim (e.g. home address, workplace, public transport, supermarket etc)
Repeatedly making contact or attempting contact with a victim
Leaving unwanted messages or gifts
Monitoring use of digital tools / social media or any e-communication
Publishing material about the victim on social media
Threatening physical abuse.

If you are unsure whether the behaviours your subject to could be classed as stalking, please see Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s video assessment tool, "Am I being stalked?".

UK Stalking Laws Explained: Legal Protections for Victims

Stalking formally became a criminal offence in Scotland in 2010 and England and Wales in 2012.

Anti-stalking legislation in the UK is covered by the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act and the addition of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (England & Wales).

In Scotland, anti-stalking legislation is provided via Section 39 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing Act 2010.

2020 saw the introduction of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs). SPOs were brought in to specifically support any existing prosecution through the Protection from Harassment Act to support local safeguarding and immediate public protection for victims of stalking behaviour (similar to a restraining order).

These legal protections are critical for helping employers respond appropriately to stalking incidents in the workplace.

Stalking vs Harassment: How to Tell the Difference

Understandably, it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between situations of harassment and stalking. They are sometimes even discussed as being one and the same. This can be because victims of stalking may also be victims of harassment and vice versa, and many of the behaviours exhibited by perpetrators can be similar.

However, if the perpetrator’s behaviours become frequent and obsessive i.e. they seem fixated on their victim and their behaviour is recurring, this would constitute stalking.

Stalking often includes multiple forms of harassment and is sometimes more severe (with or without violence).

In workplace settings, understanding this distinction is vital for HR response, policy development, and lone worker safety planning.

Employer Responsibilities: How to Support Victims of Stalking and Harassment at Work

According to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a legal duty of care to remove risk to personnel “so far as is reasonably practicable”. However, it can be difficult for employers to know what to do in circumstances as complex as stalking. Employers can also provide affected staff with lone worker devices, discreet panic alarms, and access to monitoring services to help improve personal safety — particularly for those working off-site.

SoloProtect and Suzy Lamplugh Trust have teamed up to produce a comprehensive guide for employers, designed to give hints and tips on how to better identify, understand and support colleagues who are victims of stalking.

The guide, "Supporting victims of stalking in your workforce", is free to download and looks at how stalking is defined, addresses traditional behaviours, highlights the impact of stalking in the workplace, and discusses how stalking behaviours can be exacerbated for lone workers and other community-based personnel.

What to Do If You’re Being Stalked: Advice and Support

If you think you’re being stalked and you want to find out what you can do, contact the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300 or complete their enquiry form. The helpline is open 9.30 – 16.00 every weekday, apart from Wednesday when they operate extended hours 09.30 – 20.00.

Whether it’s happening at work, online, or elsewhere, victims should also report incidents to their employer or HR team if it affects their wellbeing at work.

You can also visit the following websites: