Grandparent fear harassment warning for sending a birthday card.

I find it completely incomprehensible that grandparents who send birthday cards or presents can be accused of Harassment, but they are.

I am not making it up, it happens, it is time that this ridiculous situation is aired and questions asked.Grandparents often will not talk about it as they are so ashamed, they may have been arrested or are threatened with a harassment order. As indeed are non resident parents, just because they want to show their children/grandchildren they love them and they have not be forgotten, by sending a card or present.What sort of society are we living in when precious Police time is spent on this sort of ridiculous situation?

--Definition of Harassment. According to NPIA National Policing Improvement Agency. Practise Advice on Investigating Stalking and Harassment.This practice advice deals with behaviour which is repeated and unwanted by the victim and causes the victim to have a negative reaction in terms of alarm or distress. Behaviour by a suspect as part of a campaign of harassment can include:• Frequent, unwanted contact, eg, appearing at the home or workplace of the victim, telephone calls, text messages, emails or other contact such as via the internet (ie, social networking sites);• Following or watching the victim;

 •Sending letters or unwanted 'gifts' to the victim;• Driving past the victim's home or work;· Damaging the victim's property;· Burglary or robbery of the victim's home, workplace, vehicle or other;· Threats of harm to the victim and/or others associated with them (including sexual violence and threats to kill);

 · Harassment of people associated with the victim (eg, family members, partner, work colleagues);

 · Physical and/or sexual assault of the victim and even murder.----

This act was introduced to protect vulnerable people from stalkers, quite rightly, but under no circumstances can sending your grandchild a card or present be Harassment.

There are incidents of grandparents being taken or invited to go to a police station, had their finger prints and DNA taken and questioned.

Some never get over the ordeal.

Jane

www.bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk