What does harassment mean?

A leading legal dictionary describes it as:

the act of systematic and/or continued unwanted and annoying actions of one party or a group, including threats and demands.

The motives behind the behaviour can vary, but the general idea is that one party is causing distress or annoyance to another party for no justifiable reason.

There are plenty of situations in which this might apply, and many different types of harassment.

For example, an employer that makes lewd or offensive sexual comments about an employee might be charged with 'sexual harassment'.

If someone has accused you of harassing them, this is general seen as a serious matter; more than just teasing or winding up in jest, and can constitue a criminal offence.