January is National Stalking Awareness Month, it was launched in 2004 by the National Center for Victims of Crime. This was aimed to increase the public's awareness of the crime of staking and to recommit to protecting survivors, as they deserve to live free from intimidation, threats, and fear.
Studies show that more than 3 million people ages 16 or older become victims of stalking annually in the United States.
Statistics:
1 in 3 women experience stalking at some point in their lifetimes
1 in 6 men experience stalking at some point in their lifetimes
nearly 1 in 3 women stalked by an intimate partner are also sexually assaulted by that partner
48% of sexually assaulted survivors experiencing stalking were ages 18-24
80% of stalking victims reported being stalked through technology
1 in 10 undergraduate women are victims of stalking
1 in 33 undergraduate men are victims of stalking
LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely than heterosexual and cisgender individuals to experience stalking victimization
Impact on Victims: Stalking
Afraid of:
46% not knowing what would happen next
30% bodily harm
29% behavior would never stop
13% harm or kidnap a child
10% loss of freedom
9% death
4% the feeling of losing one's mind
Stalking Tactics:
Unwanted phone calls, voice or text messages, hang-ups
Unwanted emails, instant messages, messages through social media
Unwanted cards, letters, flowers, or presents
Watching or following from a distance, spying with a listening device, camera, or global positioning system (GPS)
Approaching or showing up in places, such as the victim’s home, workplace, or school when it was unwanted
Leaving strange or potentially threatening items for the victim to find
Sneaking into victim’s home or car and doing things to scare the victim or let the victim know the perpetrator had been there
What We can Do:
If you are experiencing any of the things listed above, here are a few things you can do:
Stalking Victims: Steps to take.
If you are in danger, call the police.
Keep a log of each incident of contact.
Save every email, text, photo, direct message, and social media post or comment the stalker sends or makes.
Alerting others like trusted family, friends, supervisors, or HR departments at work to ensure they don’t mistakenly give any information out to someone posing as a loved one.
Connect with an advocate from a local resource center or commonwealth attorney’s office.
If you are in immediate danger or feel threatened and fear for your safety in anyway call the police right away. Help, support, and resources are available to you. Check out the resources below.
Victim Connect: 1 (855) 484-2846
The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1 (800) 799-7233 En Espanol: 1 (800) 787-3224
The National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1 (800) 656-4673
The Center is committed to creating a world that is free from sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and human trafficking. All of our services are FREE & Confidential to all. We provide free resources to survivors of sexual violence. These resources consisted of 1-on-1 crisis counseling, groups counseling (for men and women), court and hospital accompaniments, advocacy, and 24/7 crisis hotline. By empowering, advocating, and educating our communities we can have a world free of domestic and sexual violence.
If you or someone you care for is a survivor of sexual assault, we are here for you. If you would like additional resources for healing from sexual assault please reach out to us at our 24 hour crisis hotline: 757-260-5260.
Resources:
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