Harassment
Repeated unwanted behavior that is intended to disturb, threaten, or alarm another person.
Harassment is a pattern of unwanted behavior directed at another person that serves no legitimate purpose and is intended to (or does) cause the person to feel frightened, oppressed, or intimidated. In Minnesota, harassment can be both a crime and the basis for a civil restraining order. It includes repeated phone calls, following someone, making threats, and other conduct that would cause a reasonable person alarm.
Minnesota law provides two main remedies for harassment. A victim can seek a harassment restraining order (HRO) in civil court, which orders the harasser to stop contacting or coming near the victim. Separate from that, prosecutors can charge harassment as a criminal offense, with penalties ranging from a misdemeanor to a felony depending on the severity and the harasser’s prior record.
Why it matters: Harassment can escalate into more dangerous behavior. Getting a restraining order can provide legal protection and create a record of the behavior. Violating a harassment restraining order is a crime that can result in arrest and criminal charges.
Example: A person repeatedly receives threatening text messages and unwanted visits from a former friend. They petition the court for a harassment restraining order. The court grants the order, prohibiting the harasser from contacting the victim or coming within a set distance of their home and workplace.
Restraining order petitions, criminal charges, workplace complaints, school bullying situations