To meet the definition of stalking, what behavior must be present?

To meet the definition of stalking, the behavior must involve willful harassment on multiple occasions. Stalking is characterized by a pattern of behavior that involves repeated and unwanted attention or contact that causes a person to feel fear or distress. This means that a single instance of harassment would not typically qualify as stalking; rather, it is the persistence of the behavior over time that defines it.

The need for multiple occasions underscores the seriousness of stalking as a behavior that escalates and can create a continuous emotional and psychological impact on the victim. It establishes a course of conduct that indicates an ongoing issue rather than a one-time incident, which is crucial in legal contexts for addressing and mitigating the effects of such behavior on victims.