What Everyone Should Know About Stalking

Posted on Aug 15, 2022 | 0 comments

Have you ever been stalked? Do you have a friend who has? Are you worried a friend/family member or someone you know may be stalking someone else?

It is estimated that 13.5 million people are stalked every year in the USA. Nearly 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced stalking at some point in their lives. It comes in many different vile forms. Though all states list stalking as a crime, it is very rarely, and very hard, to prove and prosecute these stalkers.

What Is Stalking?

Stalking is the pursuit of a person covertly. That is, abusers use quiet, secret tactics like following, watching in windows, going through your garbage and using the internet to learn everything and anything they can on you for their pleasure.

It can occur in many different ways and instils the fear of LIFE in the victim. It causes anxiety, depression, isolation, physical problems, social problems and sleeping problems. Sadly there is not much the police can do to protect these victims. The stalkers are smart, sneaky and just walk the line of the law to control their victims with fear. All too often the victim has been deeply abused and affected – if not killed from – the stalking before the police or law can take action. It is simply too late.

Stalking In The Court System

In fact fewer than 1/3 of states classify stalking as a felony in all circumstances, including on the first offense. More than 1/2 of states classify stalking as a felony upon the second or subsequent offense, or when the crime involves aggravating factors. Think about that… ONCE the stalker has made contact breaking something, possibly violating/beating up/even killing you – than they MAY do something about it.

What About The Stalker Doing The Stalking?

In more than 50% of cases, stalkers present with multiple mental disorders, or a primary disorder is accompanied by specific personality traits that are linked to the stalking behavior but are not sufficient for a diagnosis of a full personality disorder.

I want to be clear that stalking is a behavior, not a mental disorder. But it is often a behavior of people with mental disorders. While personality disorders, depression and substance misuse are common amongst those with stalking behaviors, there are still many stalkers who don’t suffer from mental illness, yet are highly disturbed individuals.

What is really scary is that often times, the stalkers are able to walk the line of the law and present well enough for a very long time. They never get help, the victim never gets help and things just escalating to a dangerous point. The victims lives are often completely destroyed and honestly something that never gets talked about – let’s be real here, let’s be conscious, – the stalkers life does not get any better either. It is HELL for everyone.