harassment

As defined in federal statute providing for a civil action to restrain harassment of a victim or witness, is "a course of conduct directed at a specific person that causes substantial emotional distress in such person and serves no legitimate purpose." 18 U.S.C.A. No. 1514(cXl). Term is used in a variety of legal contexts to describe words, gestures and actions which tend to annoy, alarm and abuse (verbally) another person; e.g., the use of "obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader" is unlawful harassment under the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. 15 U.S.C.A. No. 1692(dX2). Sexual harassment by employers against employees is recognized as a cause of action under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C.A. No. 2000e et seq., e.g., Tomkins v. Public Service Electric & Gas Co., C.A.N.J., 568 F.2d 1044.

See also sexual harassment.

A person commits a petty misdemeanor if, with purpose to harass another, he:

(1) makes a telephone call without purpose of legitimate communication; or

(2) insults, taunts or challenges another in a manner likely to provoke violent or disorderly response; or

(3) makes repeated communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in offensively coarse language; or

(4) subjects another to an offensive touching; or

(5) engages in any other course of alarming conduct serving no legitimate purpose of the actor. Model Penal Code, No. 250.4. The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act prohibits debt collectors from using such harassment tactics as threats, abusive language, or telephone excesses. 15 U.S.C.A. No. 1692c et seq