January is National Stalking Awareness Month
Each year, SHARPP responds to many students who express concern about being stalked.
Stalking and online stalking is a series of actions that make you feel afraid or in danger.
Stalking is serious, often violent, and can escalate over time.
Stalking is a Crime
A stalker can be someone you know well or not at all. Most have dated or been involved with the people they stalk. Most stalking cases involve males stalking females, but males do stalk males, females do stalk females, and females do stalk men.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics...
- 3.4 million people over the age of 18 are stalked each year in the United States.
- More than 1 in 4 stalking victims reported some form of technology was used, such as e-mail (83%) or instant messaging (35%)
- 3 in 4 stalking victims are stalked by someone they know.
Some Things Stalkers Do
- Repeatedly call and text you, including hang-ups
- Follow you and show up wherever you are
- Send unwanted gifts, letters, cards, or e-mails
- Damage your home, car, or other property
- Monitor our phone calls, computer use, or social network account
- Hack into your social networking accounts (Facebook) or email
- Use technology, like hidden cameras or global positioning systems (GPS), to track where you go
- Drive by or hang out at your apartment/residence hall, outside your classroom or at your work
- Threaten to hurt you, your family, friends or pets
- Find out about you by using public records or online search services, hiring private investigators, going through your garbage, or contacting your friends, classmates, family, neighbors, or co-workers
- Other actions that control or frighten you.
