Who Can be Stalked?

Stalking can happen to anyone, male or female, and may involve family members, friends, or co-workers. Stalkers may target casual acquaintances or random victims, and can stalk their victims for days, weeks, or even years. The target can become a prisoner in her or his own home.

Most stalking takes place between people who have known each other intimately. Domestic violence stalkers, as a category, constitute the most dangerous and potentially lethal group of stalkers. Abusers often feel that their victims belong to them, are theirs to control or to punish for trying to leave, and rationalize their inappropriate behavior by blaming the victim of their obsession. Leaving and abusive relationship takes careful planning and implementation. A local domestic violence shelter can assist in developing a safety plan. The plan found on this website may also be helpful. 

If You Are Being Stalked

Stalking is an insidious crime because it can make a victim feel completely "crazy". A stalker's goal is to twist her/his sense of reality with complete stealth. You can begin to help yourself by filling out the tracking form - it serves as a good reality check, and makes the people who work, study, and live with you aware as well. There are also people and agencies in the area with a great deal of knowledge and understanding of stalking behavior and its impact on victims. Check out the Community Resources page for local support services.

Taking Care of Yourself

Develop a support system through friends, family, and colleagues, and/or join a support group. Emotional support is critical during this time and afterward, because you may experience a variety of symptoms of extreme stress, including rage, terror, suspicion, an inability to trust anyone, depression, changes in sleeping or eating patterns, exhaustion, and/or frequent crying spells. This is a result of the tension caused by relentless victimization. Talking to someone other than a friend or family member (who may want to help but can also get burned out) who is trained to work with victims/survivors may help alleviate the impact of this trauma on your life. Check out the Community Resources page for local support services.