January is Stalking Awareness Month

One Love’s top 5 picks for resources on stalking

“Hello from the other side. I must have called a thousand times.”

We all know that lyric from Adele’s song Hello, and we’ve probably sung along to it not thinking twice about how ridiculous it sounds to call someone 1,000 times. Many of us don’t know enough about stalking to recognize the behaviors or understand how dangerous it can actually be. But the reality is scary: young people between the ages of 18-24 experience the highest rate of stalking. This is especially true of college students, who experience the highest rate of stalking but are less likely to report it.

Stalking is the purposeful following, watching or harassment of another individual, and it typically occurs repeatedly and over an extended period of time. 80% of campus stalking victims know their stalker and the average duration of stalking is 1.8 years. Stalking is a crime in all 50 states and prohibited by Title IX.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Stalking is the purposeful following, watching or harassment of another individual.” quote=”Stalking is the purposeful following, watching or harassment of another individual, and it typically occurs repeatedly and over an extended period of time. “]

To help you learn more about stalking and what you can do to keep yourself safe we’ve pulled together our favorite resources on the topic:

1.  National Center for Victims of Crime

This resource gives a great overview of stalking and what someone who is being stalked might experience. Stalking behaviors can include showing up where you are, knowing your schedule, consistently trying to contact you or even sending unwanted gifts.

“You can be stalked by someone you know casually, a stranger, or a past or current friend, boyfriend or girlfriend. Getting notes and gifts at your home, in your locker, or other places might seem sweet and harmless to other people, but if you don’t want the gifts, phone calls, messages, letters, or e-mails, it doesn’t feel sweet or harmless. It can be scary and frustrating.”

2.  Five Ways to Tell If Someone Is Cyber Stalking You

Stalking can occur both online and off, but 1 in 4 stalking victims experience some form of cyber stalking. This article does a great job talking about the difference between harmless curiosity and deliberate stalking when it comes to social media. Plus, it lists 5 ways to tell if someone is stalking you.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Stalking can occur online and off, but 1 in 4 stalking victims experience some form of cyber stalking.” quote=”Stalking can occur online and off, but 1 in 4 stalking victims experience some form of cyber stalking.”]

3.  Stay Safe Online

This dated but helpful resource lists 10 ways to stay safe online. From using strong passwords, making yourself hard to track down, and being mindful of what you share on social media, these 10 steps are easy to apply and can keep you safe from online stalking.

4.  Stalking Response Tips for Victims

Want to know what you should do if you think you’re being stalked? This resource lists 5 steps to take in response:

1. Trust your instincts
2. Contact the police or campus safety
3. Keep a record
4. Save all evidence
5. Speak with an advocate

5.  StalkingAwarenessMonth.org

This is your place to find more resources on stalking, the latest news, and help creating a safety plan or stalking incident log.