Stalking

One thing a victim of stalking may want to think about is reporting the stalking to the police. This may not be a safe option for all victims, however. Many people and communities experience unfair treatment or violence at the hands of law enforcement. If contacting the police is a safe option for you, you can see the criminal definition of stalking on our website [STATE - MAKE SURE TO LINK TO APPROPRIATE PAGE WHERE BOLD THROUGHOUT]. You can also see some other crimes an abuser may commit in your state on our Crimes page.

[IF THERE IS A STALKING ORDER AND A DV ORDER IN HER STATE, LINK HER TO THE DV ORDER IF IT’S AN INTIMATE PARTNER. IF IT’S NOT AN INTIMATE PARTNER WHO IS THE STALKER, LINK TO THE STALKING ORDER IF THERE IS ONE – IF THERE IS NOT A SEPARATE STALKING ORDER, EXPLAIN THAT ONLY A DV ONE EXISTS: Another option for someone being harassed may be to file for a stalking protective order if they qualify. A protective order is a written statement from a court that tells an abuser or stalker to stop the abuse and stalking or face serious legal consequences. It offers civil legal protection from domestic violence and stalking – that means that a victim has to go to court and ask a judge for a protective order and the authorities don’t have to be involved. You can find more information on protective orders and how to get one in our Restraining Orders section.]

One other option available to victims of stalking may be to file a civil suit for damages. A victim of stalking may be able to sue a stalker for money (damages) because of the pain and suffering caused, in certain circumstances. You can also find more information on our Suing an Abuser for Money page.

If you need a lawyer’s assistance in going to the police, filing for a protection order, or filing a civil suit, you can find free and paid lawyers in your state on our Finding a Lawyer page.

Additionally, one thing that a person can do to better prepare a case for stalking or harassment is to keep a log (or a record) of the details of each incident as the incidents occur. S/he can make a list of the date and time of each incident, what the abuser did or said, what actions if any the victim took, what witnesses or evidence s/he has, etc. This way, if the victim has to prove the pattern of events in court, s/he will have the information ready to give to the police or judge.

A stalking/harassment victim can also save any voicemails, emails, or text messages that are sent as further proof of the stalking/harassing behavior - as well as taking screenshots of any posts made on social media to preserve them in case the person who posts them later deletes them. Here you can find more information on stalking, along with a sample stalking log.

No matter what legal action you decide to take, you may want to safety plan. Here you can find safety planning tips for stalking victims. You might also want to contact an advocate at your local domestic violence organization for help in creating a safety plan that works for you. We have some tips to get you started at the link above, but an advocate at your local domestic violence organization can help you design a personalized plan. Here is our page with links and contact information for local domestic violence programs

There is also a National Organization that assists stalking/harassment victims.