Stalking is like being in Alice & Wonderland, paranoid, scared, no control, threats and you can’t get out until it’s over, it took over 7 months the last time. I had my claws out during the entire time and continued to listen to my gut more often. There are thousands of people are out there with a scam on their mind’s, if you have not met them in-person or you could find out how yourself another TikTok video. You may feel under a microscope until you can move forward, keep working through the trauma.

What is stalking?

Legal definitions vary from one jurisdiction to another. Still, stalking is generally defined as a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. A crime in all 50 states and at the federal level, stalking is dangerous and potentially lethal.

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Who are victims of stalking?

In 2019, about 1.3% of Americans ages 16 and older (3.4 million people) were victims of stalking, according to a report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The most frequently reported traditional stalking behaviors included the offender following and watching the victim. Stalking with technology most commonly included unwanted phone calls, voice or text messages, and emails and Internet messages.

The percentage of people who experienced stalking declined from 2016 (1.5%) to 2019 (1.3%). However, women continue to be victims of stalking more than twice as often as men. Overall, the data show most stalking victims know their stalkers.

Among adults, 18- to 24-year-olds experience the highest rates of stalking, placing students on college and university campuses at high risk of becoming a victim. Research shows that most college students are stalked by someone they know, usually a fellow student. Colleges and universities that understand the dynamics of stalking and the negative impacts associated with it can support victims and hold stalkers accountablethrough campus programs and thorough investigations.

In 2019, only 29% of stalking victims reported their victimization to police. Stalking victims who chose not to report the crime to police most often said they didn’t feel it was important enough to do so.

Source: The Stalking Prevention, Awareness, & Resource Center

What help is there for victims of stalking?

If you believe you’re a victim of stalking, the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center provides guidance and resources in the What to Do if You Are Being Stalked section of their website.

Supported by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Violence Against Women Research Consortium published a series of training videos and resources that cover stalking laws and best practices for law enforcement and prosecutors in stalking investigations.

January is recognized as National Stalking Awareness Month – an annual call to action to recognize and respond to the crime of stalking.

Date Modified: January 11, 2024

Additional Resources

Internet Safety Special Feature: Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking
This online resource offers a compilation of publications and referrals to organizations dealing with cyberbullying and cyberstalking.

National Stalking Awareness Month
This webpage provides access to resources and materials that provide information about stalking and how to share information about National Stalking Awareness Month, which is recognized each January.

Office for Victims of Crime (OVC): Stalking
This website provides information about stalking and includes links to related organizations and topical publications.

Office on Violence Against Women (OVW): Stalking
OVW provides information on the U.S. Department of Justice’s legal and policy issues regarding violence against women and responds to requests for information regarding violence against women, including stalking.

Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center (SPARC)
Funded by the Office on Violence Against Women, the goal of SPARC is to ensure first responders and other allied professionals have the specialized knowledge needed to identify and response to stalking cases.

Violence Against Women Research Consortium
The Rutgers Violence Against Women Research Consortium works collaboratively with interdisciplinary researchers and National Institute of Justice research scientists to identify, implement, and disseminate research and evaluation projects that fill the gaps in our current knowledge on stalking, as well as intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and teen dating violence.