University Police

CPPD Highlights Stalker Awareness Month

Statistics on Stalking in the United States
  • Nationally, 7.5 million people are stalked every year.
  • Approximately 1 in 6 women and 1 in 17 men have experienced stalking at some point in their lifetime. (CDC, 2015)
  • Most stalking is done by someone known to the victim, such as a current or former partner. Yet some victims are stalked by complete strangers.
  • Victims of stalking cannot predict what stalkers will do but can determine their own responses to the stalking behavior. Personal safety and harm prevention is of the utmost importance for victims.
  • Treat all threats, direct and indirect, as legitimate and inform law enforcement immediately.
  • Trust your instincts. If you're somewhere that doesn't feel safe, either find ways to make it safer, or leave.
  • You have no control over the stalker’s behavior and are not responsible for what they do.
  • According to the Stalking Resource Center, approximately 3.4 million people over the age of 18 are the victim of stalking each year.
  • 78% of stalking victims are female; 87% of stalkers are male.
  • Less than 10% of stalking victims are stalked by a stranger.
  • 52% of stalking victims are 18-29 years old.
  • Do not interact with the person stalking or harassing you. Responding to stalker’s actions may reinforce their behavior.
  • Document, document, document. Start keeping a log of each incident of contact as soon as someone’s interest in you starts to scare you. The more information you have, the better. Make a record of each and every red-flag incident that occurs, no matter how minor it may seem at the time.
  • 80% of campus stalking victims know their stalker and the average duration of stalking is 1.8 years.
  • Call the police if you feel you are in any immediate danger. Explain why the stalker’s actions are causing you fear.
  • Although stalking is a crime in all 50 states, less than one-third of states classify stalking as a felony if it’s a first offense. This leaves stalking victims without protections afforded to victims of other violence crimes.
  • Stalking takes its toll emotionally, psychologically and even financially.

Resources

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