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 being involved with people they stalk; about 75% of stalking cases involve men stalking women, but men do stalk men, women do stalk women, and women stalk men.

Some things stalkers do:

• Follow you and show up wherever you are

• Repeatedly call you, include hanging ups

• Damage your home, car or other property

• Send unwanted gifts, letters, cards, or emails

• Monitor your pager, phone or computer use

• Use technology, like hidden cameras or global positioning systems (GPS) 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 using public records or on-line search services, hiring investigators, going through garbage, or contacting friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers

• Other actions that control, track or frighten you.

Some things that you may feel: fear, unsafe, vulnerable, nervous, depressed, stressed, have eating problems, flashbacks, confused or isolated.  You are not to blame for a stalker’s behavior.

What you can do:

• Call 911

• Ask for help from crisis hotline, victim organization, police or court. They can help you develop a safety plan, and get services you need.

• Develop a safety plan.

• Do not communicate with your stalker

• Keep evidence of stalking (time, dates, locations, keep emails, photographs etc)

• Get a court order to tell stalker to stay away

• Tell family, friends, roommates, and coworkers so they can help you with your safety.

Fast Facts: 1.4 million people are stalked every year in the United States.