Victims of blocking: harassment from neighbors

The term “harassment” is present in different areas of daily life. The little ones suffer from bullying or bullying at school or institute. In homes, harassment can occur between family members; Even in the world of work, we sometimes come across “moobing” by some colleagues towards others.

As we can see, Hostility between people and aggression or violence are the order of the day. In the neighborhood world we find a similar phenomenon called blocking. He blocking in harassment by one or more neighbors of another person who lives in the same block or urbanization. This harassment is not limited only to coexistence problems, but is truly recurring harassment.

The victim, therefore, will suffer the typical psychological consequences that are usually observed in the majority of victims of abuse. Some of the symptoms manifested may be low self-esteem, constant fear and anxiety, hopelessness, depressive symptoms and even thoughts of suicide.

Currently, neighborhood harassment or blocking is even registered in article 172 of the Penal Code, which is why it constitutes a crime.

Blocking phases

The blocking phenomenon consists of several different phases. The ideal is not to wait for all of them to occur, but to report as soon as we begin to notice that the harassment is beginning to occur.

Conflict phase. Generally, neighborhood harassment It begins to take shape when a coexistence problem occurs that has not been resolved in time. For example, a neighbor has a dog that barks most of the day and that barking bothers another neighbor.Beginning of harassment. Harassment strategies begin to be carried out by the neighbor who had the conflict or by several neighbors. For example, not saying hello when passing each other in the elevator or even making comments in a low voice about the person. In this point It is common for both the victim and the neighbors to deny the harassment. This denial represents an avoidance of reality that, if not stopped in time, causes hostility and harassment to continue.External intervention. The situation is made public and different external organizations begin to intervene to try to find a solution to the problemMarginalization, flight or exclusion. At this last point, the victim may feel forced to leave the home, put the apartment up for sale, etc. If she can’t do this, Sometimes he has to move around the community hiding so as not to have to meet a neighbor, going up the stairs so as not to meet in the elevator or in the portal hall, etc. This, in the long run, leads to the total wear and tear of the victim who cannot feel comfortable even in their own home.

What can be done on a psychological level?

It is very important that a psychological intervention is carried out, both on the victim and on the harasser himself. From this point of view, It is essential to carry out good training in communication and assertiveness.

If, for example, a neighbor has a dog that barks all day and the other neighbor complains, it would be important for both to reach a middle ground in which there is understanding. The neighbor who has the dog can first apologize, try to prevent it from happening again, or learn how to train the dog. so that he doesn’t bark (trainers, don’t leave him alone, give him a toy to keep him entertained for a long time…).

On the other hand, The neighbor who complains, and who is likely to end up harassing you if the conflict is not resolved, should try to be more flexible and understand that there are neighbors who have pets, who cannot leave them abandoned because it bothers someone else and that if it is not something excessive, they can tolerate some noise.

If an understanding can be reached, with one increasing flexibility and tolerance and the other trying to reach a solution, it is very likely that the harassment will not progress and will stay there. If we get defensive, on the other hand, chances are it will continue forward and end up much worse than it started.

When the harassment is already underway, It is essential that the victim put themselves in the hands of a psychologist to help them gain security and self-esteem.. You may be advised to put an end to the behavior of your neighbors, not to get into arguments and, above all, not to react to insults or humiliation. Of course, if these are limited only to something verbal. Obviously, if there is physical abuse, a report must be filed. The extinction of behavior can make the harassing neighbor eventually get tired.

If none of this works and the harassment has continued for a long time, the option of changing address can be considered. Although it is a last resort because of everything it entails. In the new home it is important that the victim, in order not to fall into the same situation, introduces himself to all the neighbors, comments that he has a dog, plays the piano in the afternoons, has a baby who cries at night, etc. so that the new neighbors also know in a certain way what they can find.

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