Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past & Future Releases

SUBDIVISION 053 HARASSMENT AND THREATENING BEHAVIOUR

Actions that harass or are intended to harass, threaten or invade the privacy of an individual, not amounting to an assault, sexual assault, stalking, blackmail or extortion. The action can be face-to-face, written, or made through a carriage service (e.g. phone, computer etc.).

This subdivision is further disaggregated on the basis of whether the offences involved harassment, or were of a threatening nature.

Offences in this subdivision are classified into the following groups:

0531 Harassment and private nuisance
0532 Threatening behaviour

0531 Harassment and private nuisance

Actions that harass or are intended to harass an individual, not amounting to an assault, sexual assault, stalking, blackmail or extortion.

Inclusions:
Nuisance phone calls
Sexual harassment (not amounting to assault, sexual assault or stalking)
Harassment where there is no indication that the behaviour is intended to cause physical or mental harm, or arouse apprehension or fear.

Exclusions:
Stalking. These are coded to Group 0291, Stalking.
Actions intended to cause physical or mental harm to the victim or to arouse apprehension or fear in the victim for his or her own safety. These are coded to Group 0291, Stalking.

0532 Threatening behaviour

Declaration of intention to punish or hurt, to injure body, property or reputation, or give warning of intention to inflict harm or revenge, orally via the telephone or taped recordings, using a computer, or in writing.

Inclusions:
Threat to cause fire or explosion
Threats to murder or injure that are not face-to-face where there is no belief that these threats could be enacted
Threat to destroy or damage property
Bomb threat

Exclusions:
Direct (face-to-face) threats where it is believed that the threat could be enacted. This constitutes assault and is coded to the relevant groups within Division 02, Acts intended to cause injury.
Blackmail and extortion. These are coded to Group 0621, Blackmail and extortion.
Destruction of, or damage to, property. These are coded to the relevant groups within Subdivision 121, Property damage.