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Behaviors of Stalkers and Their Impact on SurvivorsStalking is a serious and often overlooked form of abuse that involves a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person, causing them to feel fear.
It can happen both in person and online, and it is crucial to understand its signs and dangers. Stalking is more than just emotional abuse; it often serves as a precursor to escalating violence.
Stalking is defined as a course of conduct aimed at an individual that would cause a reasonable person to feel afraid.
This behavior may take many forms, but it always involves an unwanted invasion of the victim’s personal life. Stalking can range from seemingly minor actions like persistent emails to severe threats of violence.
Repeated phone calls, voicemails, emails, and text messages
Monitoring a victim’s phone activity or computer use
Driving by, waiting at, or showing up at the victim’s home, school, or work
Sending unwanted gifts, letters, or cards
Posting information or spreading rumors about the victim on social media sites, in public places, or by word of mouth
Searching for information about the victim by conducting public records or online searches, hiring private investigators, digging through the victim’s garbage, or contacting the victim’s friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers
Using technology, such as hidden cameras, to watch the victim
Following the victim, either in person or via the use of technology (e.g., GPS or location-based apps)
Hacking social media accounts to monitor, harass or isolate the victim
Using a third party to contact or stalk the victim (i.e., proxy stalking)
Committing identity theft or financial fraud against the victim, such as opening, closing, or taking money from accounts
Using children to harass or monitor the victim
Vandalizing or destroying a victim’s property, car, or home
Violating protective orders or other injunctions
Threatening to hurt the victim or their family, friends, or pets
Threatening to kill the victim or others, self, or pets
Engage in actual pursuit of the victim
Possess or are interested in weapons
Commit other crimes such as vandalism or arson
Are prone to emotional outbursts and rage
Have a history of violating protection orders, substance abuse, mental illness and/or violence, especially toward the victim
Have made threats of murder or murder-suicide
The victim has separated from the stalker
The stalker has been arrested or served with a protection order
The stalker has a major negative life event, such as the loss of a job or being evicted
The stalking behaviors increase in frequency or escalate in severity
Abuse of drugs or alcohol
Inability to study
Sexual dysfunction
Anger
Irritability
Anxiety
Loss of confidence
Confusion
Loss of relationships
Depression
Minimization
Economic losses
Nightmares
Embarrassment
PTSD
Emotional numbness
Self-Blame
Fatigue
Fear
Shame
Flashbacks
Shock
Frustration
Sleep disturbances
Frustration
Social isolation
Guilt
Suicidal ideation
Hyper-vigilance
Unable to accomplish daily tasks
Inability to concentrate
Weight changes
If you or someone you know is experiencing stalking, call CASA Marion’s 24-Hour Hotline at 352-722-CASA.