Harassment and Stalking

Stalking is intentionally or knowingly engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person, knowing or reckless as to whether it would make a reasonable person in their circumstances fear for their safety or someone else's, or suffer other emotional distress. Violating a stalking injunction is stalking too.

• A course of conduct is two or more acts, such as following, watching, photographing, threatening or communicating with or about the person, directly or through others.
• Showing up at the person's work or home, contacting their employer, coworkers or neighbors, or using a computer or texts as part of it counts.
• Emotional distress means significant mental or psychological suffering, whether or not treatment is needed.
• A first violation is a class A misdemeanor, and a prior stalking conviction, among other circumstances the section lists, makes it a third degree felony.

• §Utah Code 76-5-106.5StatuteStalking -- Definitions -- Injunction -- Penalties -- Duties of law enforcement officerOpens le.utah.gov ↗

Electronic communication harassment is contacting someone electronically, with intent to intimidate, abuse, threaten, harass, frighten or disrupt, by repeated contact, by continued contact after being told to stop, by insults likely to provoke a violent response, or by threats of injury or damage. It is a class B misdemeanor, and class A for a second or later violation.

• §Utah Code 76-12-202StatuteElectronic communication harassmentOpens le.utah.gov ↗

Harassment, the narrower offense, is communicating a written or recorded threat to commit a violent felony with intent to frighten or harass, a class B misdemeanor.

• §Utah Code 76-5-106StatuteHarassmentOpens le.utah.gov ↗