Antisocial Behaviour
What is antisocial behaviour?
Antisocial behaviour (ASB) covers a wide range of unacceptable activity that causes harm to an individual, their community or their environment. This can be an action by someone else that leaves you feeling alarmed, harassed or distressed. It also includes fear of crime or concern for public safety, public disorder or public nuisance.
There are three main categories for antisocial behaviour, depending on how many people are affected:
- Personal antisocial behaviour is when a person targets a specific individual or group.
- Nuisance antisocial behaviour is when a person causes trouble, annoyance or suffering to a community.
- Environmental antisocial behaviour is when a person’s actions affect the wider environment, such as public spaces or buildings.
Antisocial behaviour includes:
- Nuisance, rowdy or inconsiderate neighbours
- Vandalism, property damage and graffiti
- Street drinking
- Littering and drugs paraphernalia
- Animal nuisance including uncontrolled animals, barking, fouling and intimidation by an animal
- Environmental damage including fly-tipping and abandonment of cars
- Prostitution-related activity
- Begging and vagrancy
- Fireworks misuse
- Inconsiderate or inappropriate use of vehicles
- Abusive behaviour aimed at causing distress or fear to certain people; for example elderly or disabled people
- Intimidation through threats or actual violence
You might think an incident is small or unimportant to start with, but anti-social behaviour can go on for a long time, and become very serious. Not all anti-social behaviour is classed as crime but it can become a crime.
Who you report antisocial behaviour to will depend on the nature of the problem. The police, local authorities and other community safety partner agencies, such as Fire & Rescue and social housing landlords, all have a responsibility to deal with antisocial behaviour and to help people who are experiencing it.
If you are experiencing problems with antisocial behaviour or other community safety issues, you should contact your local council or if you think a crime has been committed, call the non-emergency police number on 101, or report it online to Thames Valley Police. In an emergency always call 999.
For further information on the types of antisocial behaviour and how to report it, visit the Thames Valley Police website.
You can find lots of information and advice on what to do if you are affected by antisocial behaviour on the dedicated ASB Help website.
If the antisocial behaviour you’re experiencing is a criminal offence, we can offer support. To contact us visit Get Support Now on our website.