12.15.2025
Stalking—also known as obsessive harassment—is a growing threat in Switzerland, where cyberstalking and repeated intrusions disrupt the lives of countless victims every year.
Following the release of an RTS documentary dedicated to cyberharassment in Switzerland, it has become necessary to clarify what stalking actually entails and to raise awareness about the risks faced by targeted individuals. This phenomenon, still poorly understood, affects many people each year and can deeply undermine their safety, well-being, and daily life.
Stalking in Switzerland manifests through a series of repeated, intrusive, and anxiety-inducing behaviors that go far beyond simple online annoyance. The situations highlighted in the documentary show how victims can live in constant fear—sometimes for years—facing perpetrators who are often unknown or difficult to identify, as well as a legal system that has, until now, struggled to clearly define and address such behavior.
In this context, it becomes essential to explain the different forms of obsessive harassment, to outline the limitations of the current legal framework, and to draw attention to the psychological and security risks associated with these behaviors.
Stalking refers to a pattern of repeated, targeted, and intrusive behaviors: incessant messages, phone calls, monitoring someone’s movements, creating fake accounts, collecting personal information, implicit threats, or physically appearing near a victim’s home or workplace.
When it occurs online, it is known as cyberharassment or cyberstalking. It can include:
Although often digital, this harassment has very real consequences for victims.
Cases reported in Switzerland show that stalking disproportionately affects women—sometimes very young women—often targeted without any identifiable reason.
Common impacts include:
Digital harassment quickly spills over into everyday life.
The documentary presents several powerful testimonies from individuals who describe:
These situations show that—even without physical violence—stalking creates lasting psychological pressure.
One of the most shocking findings in the investigation involves a cyberstalker who targeted around 250 women in French-speaking Switzerland. Due to the legal framework at the time, only a handful of complaints were deemed admissible.
The penalty imposed—five day-fines at CHF 30 for insult—appears derisory and unjust given the scale of the behavior.
This stark contrast highlights a major gap: the absence, until 2026, of a specific offense addressing stalking as a whole.
Before 2026, because stalking was not defined in the Swiss Penal Code, some cases were only prosecutable if an explicit insult could be proven.
It was not enough to be harassed, indirectly threatened, or monitored—victims sometimes needed the stalker to clearly insult them for the complaint to be formally accepted.
This situation, emphasized in the documentary, illustrates a legal absurdity: a potentially dangerous behavior could remain unaddressed as long as it was “polite” in form, despite an obviously concerning reality.
This gray area deprived many victims of legal recourse.
Stalking had to be pursued through other articles of law (threats, coercion, insult, misuse of telecommunications).
However, these provisions did not account for:
The introduction of Article 181b CP will establish a specific criminal offense for obsessive harassment, punishable by up to three years in prison or a monetary penalty.
This change will allow for:
The offense will still require a formal complaint, meaning victims must take action.
The penalties imposed in certain cases (a few day-fines) appear extremely low compared to the distress inflicted on victims.
Such sanctions contribute to feelings of injustice and discouragement, and may prevent victims from initiating legal procedures.
The introduction of the new article aims to narrow this gap between the actual severity of the behavior and the judicial response.
In certain cantons, specialized units periodically meet identified offenders to assess the risk of escalation. This preventive approach aims to:
This type of intervention is part of police prevention efforts and can help prevent harmful developments.
In essence, it echoes the approach used in the 1970s–1980s in the United States, when FBI investigators from the Behavioral Science Unit interviewed violent offenders to analyze behavioral patterns—work that contributed to the development of modern criminal profiling.
Even if occasional monitoring can help authorities evaluate immediate risk, it is not therapeutic support—despite what the documentary seemed to imply.
It is important to remember that:
A police check cannot replace professional treatment. In the long term, only mental health professionals can reduce the risk of relapse and address the root causes of the behavior.
Screenshots, messages, dates, locations, call logs.
Privacy settings, reducing publicly accessible information.
Family, professionals, specialized services, associations.
A police report creates an essential official record.
To understand available protective measures.
In certain stalking or obsessive harassment cases, hiring a private investigator may be appropriate. An investigator can document incidents rigorously by establishing a clear timeline, collecting evidence, and objectively confirming specific behaviors. This information can effectively support a criminal complaint or legal case.
However, working with a private investigator must always respect the legal framework and complement official procedures undertaken with the competent authorities.
Stalking is a form of harassment that is psychological, digital, and sometimes physical, with deep and often invisible impacts.
The legal recognition of obsessive harassment starting in 2026 marks an important step forward, but awareness, victim support, and institutional coordination remain essential to fighting this phenomenon effectively.
Sources :
Stalking will be criminally punishable in Switzerland as of January 2026
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AGOP is a Swiss private investigation agency based in Geneva.
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