January is National Stalking Awareness Month, and this month Women With A Vision is launching our new program focusing on Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Dating Violence, specifically aimed at African-American women and LGBTQ survivors.
This year is the 10th anniversary of Stalking Awareness month, and we wanted to leave you with a few facts:
- Stalking is a crime in all 50 States including U.S. territories
- An estimated 6.6 million people are stalked in the U.S. each year
- Women are stalked at a rate of 3 times higher than men
- 1 in 6 women will be stalked in their lifetime
- The majority of stalking victims know the offender
- 81% of stalking victims who were stalked by an intimate partner reported that they had also been physically assaulted by that partner (National Violence Against Women Survey)
Stalking is a series of actions that make you feel afraid or in danger, which can include:
- Repeated, unwanted, intrusive, and frightening contact, by visits, phone, mail, and/or email or social networking
- Following a person to places where they frequently go; home, work, school, coffee shops
- Damaging or threatening to damage a person’s property
- Threatening to harm victim, children, family, pets, or friends.
Stalking is dangerous and unpredictable. Here’s what you can do:
- Trust your gut
- Take threats seriously
- Let Family, Friends, and Co-workers know that you are being stalked
- Document and Keep Evidence of occurrences
- Do not communicate with offender
- Get an order of protection
- Contact an agency that supports stalking victims
- Contact the police
If you are feel that you are being stalked please contact WWAV at (504) 301-0428. If you are in immediate danger please call 911.