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From the busy platforms of the TTC to the digital “wild west” of social media, verbal harassment has become an unfortunate reality for many Torontonians. While it is often dismissed as just “rude behavior,” the reality is that unwanted comments, threatening language, and persistent abuse can have devastating psychological effects and significant legal consequences.
In a recent discussion on the “Know Your Rights” podcast, personal safety expert Nichelle Laus and Diamond and Diamond managing partner Sandra Zisckind explored the evolution of these threats. Laus identifies a growing phenomenon she calls “paper dragons”—individuals who utilize the anonymity of a screen to engage in sustained campaigns of intimidation.
What is Verbal Harassment?
Verbal harassment is any unwanted communication that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe. This includes catcalling, sexual remarks, insults, threatening language, and name-calling. Under the Criminal Code of Canada, specific behaviors can cross the line into criminal activity:
- Criminal Harassment (Stalking): Engaging in conduct that causes a person to reasonably fear for their safety. This often involves repeated communication or “besetting” a home or workplace. For more details on these patterns, see our guide on stalking.
- Uttering Threats: Knowingly conveying a threat to cause death, bodily harm, or property damage.
- Harassing Communications: Repeatedly using telecommunications (text, email, social media) with the intent to harass.
Workplace and Virtual Safety
The definition of a “safe workplace” has expanded. In Ontario, Bill 190 explicitly includes virtual activities in its harassment definitions. This means you are protected from inappropriate emails or bullying during video calls, even if you are working from a home office in the GTA. If you have experienced misconduct in a professional setting, specialized help is available for work sexual assault victims.
Institutional Duty of Care
If harassment happens in a public space, such as a restaurant or school, the “occupier” of that space has a legal duty to keep you safe. As Sandra Zisckind emphasizes “when you’re inviting somebody on your premises you have to make sure it’s reasonably safe for them”.
This perspective aligns with the legal evolution of the OLA, which increasingly interprets “safety” as including protection from foreseeable intentional acts by third parties. If an establishment, whether a Tim Hortons or a high-end nightclub, is aware that a patron is being harassed and fails to call the police or ask the aggressors to leave, they may be found liable for any escalating harm that follows.
Actionable Steps: How to Keep Yourself Safe
- Use Assertive Language: If you feel safe to do so, be direct. Say: “I am really not liking that. Can you stop?” Silence can sometimes be misinterpreted by harassers as a sign that their behaviour is “getting to you.”
- The “Lob On” Strategy: If you are being followed in public, find a larger group and ask if you can stand with them until the harasser leaves. Torontonians are generally happy to help a neighbour in distress.
- Learn the “Signal for Help”: This silent, one-handed gesture was created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation to signal distress without alerting an abuser.
- Palm out: Hold your hand up, palm facing the person.
- Thumb in: Tuck your thumb into your palm.
- Trap it: Fold your fingers down over your thumb.
- The “Angel Shot”: If you are on a date in a Toronto bar and feel unsafe, many venues recognize the “Angel Shot” code.
- Neat/Straight Up: You need an escort to your car.
- On the Rocks/Ice: You need the staff to call a taxi or rideshare.
- With a Twist/Lime: You are in immediate danger and need the police.
- Digital Hygiene: If you are being targeted by a “paper dragon” online, log everything. Save original screenshots of all communications, as these are vital if you choose to pursue a civil claim for sexual assault or internet harassment.
Get Expert Help from Diamond and Diamond Lawyers
If verbal harassment has escalated into physical harm or a sustained campaign of psychological abuse, you do not have to face it alone. The legal team at Diamond and Diamond Lawyers has extensive experience navigating the complexities of personal injury and institutional negligence in Ontario. Their lawyers can help you evaluate your case, secure protective orders, and fight for the compensation you need to rebuild your life.
Contact Diamond and Diamond today for a free, no-obligation consultation. They work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay unless they recover money for you. Call their 24/7 injury support line at 1-800-567-HURT (1-800-567-4878) or visit diamondlaw.ca to start your claim today.
About Jeremy Diamond
Jeremy Diamond is a lawyer and member of both Ontario and Florida Bars. Jeremy practices in the area of Plaintiff personal injury litigation. Click here to learn more about Jeremy Diamond.
