QLD Harassment by Bully - Restraining Order?

[dachshundlover]

I have been harassed by a peer that I went to high school with for the past three years. He has verbally abused me on multiple occasions extremely viciously. He has spread lies and humiliating rumours about me. He has used his Snapchat and his Facebook page to cyberbully and incite harassment towards me.

He manipulates other people to harass me in person due to the false rumours. We have now graduated, but he has followed me to the same university to do the same degree, which lasts six years. I want this all to stop and I don't know what I can legally do about it.

I have depression and anxiety and his harassment is beginning to put my life at risk.

My main issue here is that I have not kept a record of everything along the way because I thought this would all stop long ago. In a court of law, I would only have witnesses to be able to prove my case. I would only have a select few people around me that can testify for my emotional distress.

I am not interested in extorting this man for money or any form of compensation, I am interested in a restraining order. I have blocked him on every social media and repeatedly asked him to just leave me alone. I don't know what to do now to keep him away from me, and this is why I am turning to the courts.

The reason for his ongoing harassment has not been made apparent.

My main question is would testimonies from the people who witnessed his harassment towards me be enough evidence for a restraining order or some form of conviction? If not, what evidence do I not have?

Thank you for your help here

 

[Iamthelaw]

Have you kept evidence (screen shots and chat logs etc.) about either the verbal abuse, lies or rumors he's spread about you in person and online? Also do you have witnesses to these things?

Have you told your high school about this occurring?

Having the evidence available is important as you have a prima facie cause of action for defamation. When you say he followed you to the same University and to the same degree - Do you say this on the premise that he has no interest in this degree and is merely doing it to further harass you? If so, do you have proof of this? - This together with the other ongoing instances could form the basis of stalking.

From what you've described there are grounds for an intervention/restraining order - Your first point should be reporting all of this to the police - If they choose not to take an order out on your behalf then you may apply for one directly through the courts.

 

[Rod]

The person you describe is a bully and has identified you as a victim. Sometimes the best way to stop a bully is to fight back.

In QLD you apply for a Peace and good behaviour order.

If any defamatory material has been published in the last 12 months I'd get a lawyer and go for defamation.

The idea is not to seek compensation, but give a clear and unequivocal message that the bully's behaviour will no longer be tolerated. The way you get the message to sink in is by seeking an apology and compensation as well the Peace and good behaviour order.

Your long term health is too important to let the matter go unresolved.

 

[Gorodetsky]

Hi dachshundlover,

Universities don't tolerate harassment of one student by another. Have you spoken to student services? Or a women's group on campus? Or told your faculty/school about it?

Women's collective at UQ at Griffith, etc etc.

It's an uphill battle getting the cops to act on this sort of stuff. Guess who is meant to enforce it when a peace and good behaviour order is breached? Cops.

Go seek out the women's group on your campus, I expect they will help you end this BS. (I don't know what they'll do, but they will know the best path forward).

You seem like a smart person, you might have already tried these options...Did they not work out?

You don't have to tolerate this in uni.

Regards,