Stalking & harassment
Many people still believe that stalking only happens to famous people and celebrities. This belief is one of many reasons why stalking still goes unreported. However stalking can happen to anyone.
What is stalking?
Stalking and harrassment is a pattern of persistent attempts to impose unwanted attention in a way that makes you feel distress, fear, pestered or harassed. This may include actions such as
- Unwanted communications including telephone calls, letter, emails, text messages, sending or leaving unsolicited material/gifts, graffiti, and/or messages on social networking sites.
- Unwanted intrusions include the following: waiting for, spying on, approaching, accosting and going to a person’s home.
- ordering or cancelling goods/services, making unwarranted complaints (to legitimate bodies)
- Online digital abuse
If you are experiencing persistent, unwanted attention from another person that is making you feel anxious, distressed or fearful, then you are a victim of stalking or harassment
How we can help
We understand that stalking and harassment is not always physical and that it can have a significant impact on a persons psychological and emotional well-being. Often people do not realise that they are caught in a pattern of abuse as the problem often builds slowly. Our team have supported many people affected by stalking. We can assist you with practical help and advice and support you emotionally to recover from stalking.
Practical help and ideas
Stalking and harassment is a crime and it is important that if you feel you are being targeted in this way that you take practical steps to tackle it as quickly as possible.
If you feel you are being stalked or harassed there are practical things you can start doing straight away
- Start keeping a copy of messages, texts, letters or online messages you may have been sent
- Record events when stalking and harassment has occurred. Write down the date, time, what happened, where it happened and who was there as they maybe able to confirm the events. Also record how it made you feel.
The above will assist the police see the bigger picture and support them to deal with the person involved in perpetrating the abuse against you.
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