Written by Between Friends’ Community and Professional Training Manager
January is National Stalking Awareness Month, a time to recognize the prevalence and dangers of stalking and highlight resources and options that may be available to those who experience this frightening abuse tactic.
Stalking is defined by the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC) as a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety (or the safety of others) or suffer substantial emotional distress.
Many domestic violence survivors have been stalked by a partner or ex-partner and understand exactly how frightening it is. According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated13.5 million people are stalked in a one-year period in the United States, and most are stalked by someone they know – 40% by a current or former intimate partner, and 42% by an acquaintance.
Stalking is considered a crime in all 50 States and all U.S. Territories, as well as by the Federal Government. In most places, two or three stalking behaviors need to occur to meet the definition of a “pattern” and therefore qualify as stalking under the legal definition.
According to SPARC, stalkers use behaviors such as:
- Making unwanted phone calls to the person they are stalking
- Showing up in places where the target does not want them, or approaching their target in these places
- Following or watching the person they are stalking
- Sending unwanted texts, photos, emails, and messages through social media
- Sending unwanted gifts
- Using technology to monitor, track, and/or spy on the target (according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, technology is used in more than half of cases)
Being stalked is a truly terrifying experience, and survivors need our support emotionally and practically. If you or someone you know is experiencing stalking, please reach out to Between Friends at 1-800-603-4357 for emotional support or to talk with a Legal Advocate. In addition, we have compiled a resource list, with links to help us better support people who are experiencing stalking. Please check it out below:
- Tips for supporting someone who is being stalked: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SupportingLovedOnesExperiencingStalking.pdf
- Stalking Safety Plan: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Safety-Strategies.pdf
- Technology Safety and Privacy Toolkit: https://www.techsafety.org/resources-survivors
- Stalking Log Template and Tips: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SPARC_StalkingLogInstructions_2018_FINAL.pdf
- U.S. Stalking Laws and Statutes: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/map/
