Types:

Harassment is meted out in a wide variety of processes, some of which are bullying, stalking, sexual, racial and religious discrimination, assault, harassment of sexual orientation, etc.

Bullying:

A predilection said to be linked to childhood experiences of the offender; it is manifested most commonly at schools, colleges and the workplace, and throws its dark shadow of unwarranted offensive and malicious aggression to intimidate in various physical forms of persistent attacks. An essentially irrational abuse of perceived power, such harassment is unpredictable and makes the target vulnerable at all times. It is unprovoked and malicious, perhaps even vindictive and such behavior is to seek warped gratification by intimidating and humiliating the target for domination.

Stalking:

This type of harassment is less common than suggested by Hollywood features, involving an individual hounding a target physically or on the electronic media. It involves tracking or spying on an individual, not by the police, government, insurance, credit agency or irate spouse, but solely to satisfy some private craving or other ominous objective. Mostly unexpected, the target is alarmed and suffers deep anxiety and panic, fearing possible violence.

Sexual Harassment:

A close encounter of the most disgusting kind, this is an unwanted and repulsive imposition of demand for sexual opportunity through intimidation. From the physical ‘grope', 'grab', ‘brush' or ‘flash' to intruding in privacy, and sexual assault (rape), this type of harassment even covers oblique propositions and innuendo, lewd remarks and vulgar invitations for sex.

Racial Harassment:

Discrimination based on race, ethnic origin including insults on race and harassment on cultural grounds, causing damage/defacement to property with offensive graffiti, inciting others to join in committing such offences is another form of harassment that surfaces in society periodically and must be confronted righteously.

Religious Harassment:

Such harassment is based on a ‘hate' stance against alternative religious beliefs or practices and is expressed in ridiculing apparel, ‘foreign' cultural customs and dismissive denial of holidays for such religious or social festivals displaying intolerance towards individual spiritual convictions. A campaign launched to incite communal/mob violence against unacceptable faiths denying persons their freedom to practice and propagate different religious beliefs is a clear case of harassment.

Sexual Orientation Harassment:

Harassment from offensive behavior arising from unorthodox sexual orientation of victims amounting to name calling, stereotyping, denying same-sex partners from social equality is in practice and laws or safeguards are still inefficient in ensuring protection, compounded either by a condescending administration, or just looking the other way till the incident becomes really serious.

Avenue for recourse:

For handling most cases of harassment, the trick is not to ‘crunch' with the ‘punch' and make an insistent reference to the law as the only ultimate recourse available to victims, irrespective of any definitive immediate protection being forthcoming, and involving a lobby group to pit your right against the offenders' mite.