The act of subjecting someone to unwanted or improper sexual advances or activity (especially women or children).

Roget 649: hurtfulness etc. adj.; virulence.    evil doer etc. 913; bane etc. 663; plague spot etc. (insalubrity) 657; evil star, ill wind; hoodoo; Jonah; snake in the grass, skeleton in the closet; amari aliquid [Lat.], thorn in the side.    malignity; malevolence etc. 907; tender mercies [Iron.].    ill-treatment, annoyance, molestation, abuse, oppression, persecution, outrage; misusage etc. 679; injury etc. (damage) 659; knockout drops [U.S.].    badness etc. adj.; peccancy^†, abomination; painfulness etc. 830; pestilence etc. (disease) 655; guilt etc. 947; depravity etc. 945.    ... show more

Roget 830: painfulness etc. adj.; trouble, care etc. (pain) 828; trial; affliction, infliction; blow, stroke, burden, load, curse; bitter pill, bitter draught; waters of bitterness.    annoyance, grievance, nuisance, vexation, mortification, sickener^†; bore, bother, pother, hot water, sea of troubles" [Hamlet], hornet's nest, plague, pest.    cancer, ulcer, sting, thorn; canker etc. (bane) 663; scorpion etc. (evil doer) 913; dagger etc. (arms) 727; scourge etc. (instrument of punishment) 975; carking care, canker worm of care.    mishap, misfortune etc. (adversity) 735; desagrement [Fr.], esclandre [Fr.], rub.    source of irritation, source of annoyance; wound, open sore; sore subject, skeleton in the closet; thorn in the flesh, thorn in one's side; where the shoe pinches, gall and wormwood.    sorry sight, heavy news, provocation; affront etc. 929; head and front of one's offending" [Othello]. infestation, molestation; malignity etc. (malevolence) 907.    ... show more

The act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism.

synonym: harassment.

Dutch: gewelddadigheid, geweldpleging, molest, molestatie
Polish: szykany