Well, protecting YOU, if you happen to be Canadian and in Canada.
So, you want to be left alone by the elders and other agents of the Watch Tower Society? Read this!
On August 1, 1993 the Canadian Criminal Code was ammended to add section 264, dealing with "Criminal Harassment". This law states:
264. (1) No person shall, without lawful authority and knowing that another person is harassed or recklessly as to whether the other person is harassed, engage in conduct referred to in subsection (2) that causes that other person reasonably, in all the circumstances, to fear for their safety or the safety of anyone known to them.
Prohibited conduct
(2) The conduct mentioned in subsection (1) consists of
(a) repeatedly following from place to place the other person or anyone known to them;
(b) repeatedly communicating with, either directly or indirectly, the other person or anyone known to them;
(c) besetting or watching the dwelling-house, or place where the other person, or anyone known to them, resides, works, carries on business or happens to be; or
(d) engaging in threatening conduct directed at the other person or any member of their family.
Punishment
(3) Every person who contravenes this section is guilty of
(a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years; or
(b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.
To take the important parts and put them in other words, if you tell someone they are harassing you, such as an elder, and this person continues to carry on this action, it is illegal. If you are contaced by telephone or email or if the elders ask someone to call you or contact you after you tell them to leave you alone, THAT IS CRIMINAL HARASSMENT. If the elders do one of their old fashioned "stake-out" type operations to "catch" you in "wrong-doing", THAT IS CRIMINAL HARASSMENT. If the elders threaten to disfellowship you and threaten to force your family and friends to shun you and aviod you, not only is that defamation of character, but IT IS ALSO CRIMINAL HARASSMENT.
Why is this important to take action? This is from the handbook for police:
1.4 Impact of Criminal Harassment on the Victim
The cumulative effect of harassing behaviour and actions causes victims to experience intimidation, as well as psychological and emotional distress. The psychological effect of stalking on victims can produce an intense and prolonged fear. This fear usually includes an increasing fear of the escalation of the frequency and nature of the conduct (for example, from non-violent to life-threatening) and is accompanied by a feeling of loss of control over the victim’s life.
Does this apply to you? I don't know, however if you want to be left alone, make sure the Presiding Overseer in your congregation knows about this law and that you do not desire to be harassed by them any longer.
Kwin
Online, the act can be found here: Criminal Code PART VIII OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON AND REPUTATION
and the "manual" is here: Criminal Harassment: A HANDBOOK FOR POLICE AND CROWN PROSECUTORS