What is Stalking?

Stalking, What is It? (National Center for Victims of Crime)
Stalking is a series of actions or pattern of harassing, threatening and intimidating conduct that make you feel afraid or in danger. Stalking is serious, often violent, and can escalate over time. A stalker can be can be strangers, acquaintances, friends, family members, or someone you have dated. Most have dated or been involved with the people they stalk. About 75 percent of stalking cases are men stalking women, but men do stalk men, women do stalk women, and women do stalk men.

Some things stalkers do:

• Follow you and show up wherever you are.
• Repeatedly call you, including hang-ups.
• Damage your home, car, or other property.
• Send unwanted gifts, letters, cards, or e-mails.
• Monitor your phone calls or computer use.
• Use technology, like hidden cameras or global positioning systems, to track where you go.
• Drive by or hang out at your home, school, or work.
• Threaten to hurt you, your family, friends, or pets.
• Find out about you by using public records or on-line search services, hiring investigators, going through your garbage, or contacting friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers.
• Other actions that control, track, or frighten you.

Some common reactions to being stalked:

• Feel fear of what the stalker will do.
• Feel vulnerable, unsafe, and not know who to trust.
• Feel nervous, irritable, impatient, or on edge.
• Feel depressed, hopeless, overwhelmed, tearful, or angry.
• Feel stressed, including having trouble concentrating, sleeping, or remembering things.
• Have eating problems, such as appetite loss, forgetting to eat, or overeating.
• Have flashbacks, disturbing thoughts, feelings, or memories.
• Feel confused, frustrated, or isolated because of reactions to being stalked.

“Stalking is a crime.”
You are not to blame for a stalker’s behavior. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.