Support Stalking Survivors Throughout January
PSJ recognizes that stalking causes harm to people who are being stalked, their loved ones, and our communities. In recognition of Stalking Awareness Month, we hope that this information will help individuals and communities in Oregon learn more about stalking and help people who are being stalked get the help they need to rebuild their lives.
What is Stalking?
Stalking is a pattern of repeated harassing or threatening behaviors toward a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. When celebrities are stalked by fans, it may make the news, but most stalking survivors are ordinary people who are being stalked by someone they know.
In 2009, the Bureau of Justice Statistics released a report finding that 3.4 million people were stalked in America during a 12-month period. Almost 3 in 4 people being stalked knew the person stalking them in some way. More than half of the stalking survivors lost 5 days of work because of the stalking. Women are at a greater risk of being stalked than men. In a survey of Oregon women age 20-55, 13% (about 111,000 women) said they had been stalked in a 5 year period. Two in three Oregon survivors (about 74,000 women) were stalked by current or former intimate partners.
I Think I’m Being Stalked; What Can I Do?
If you are being stalked, it is very important that you get help from a local trained professional who can provide guidance and help you develop a safety plan. Your local domestic violence program can be a great place to help you figure out how to take care of yourself and respond to the stalking.
You may also want to read “Stalking: A Handbook for Victims,” which provides lots of information, including self-care and safety planning tips and a sample stalking log.
What Can I Do to Learn More about Stalking?
- Take the stalking awareness quiz.
- Learn about healthy relationships and talk with your loved ones—especially adolescents—about what a healthy relationship looks like.
- Wear a silver ribbon in January and when people ask about the ribbon, you can educate them about stalking!
What Can I Do to Help Survivors?
- If you know someone who is being stalked, listen to him/her, believe him/her, and provide loving support.
- Contact your local domestic violence program to see if there are any household items you can donate to help support their clients.
Thank you for talking time to learn more about stalking, support survivors, and encourage healthy relationships. If you would like to join PSJ’s legislative efforts to end violence and help survivors rebuild their lives, please contact Kerry Naughton, PSJ’s Crime Survivors Program Director.
