What is Stalking?

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What is Stalking?
The act of stalking occurs when a person intentionally and knowingly engages in behavior that is directed toward another person that would cause a reasonable individual to fear for his or her safety or the safety of his or her immediate family.

This could include:

Close physical or visual contact such as watching, following, spying, etc.
Making overt or implied threats on at least two occasions (phone calls, letters, messages, e-mail, etc.)

Who?
Anyone can be a stalker - male or female, young or old. The majority of stalkers are men with female victims, although it is not rare for this to be reversed. Stalkers tend to be young to middle-aged and are usually intelligent. They come from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. Forensic psychologists have identified two types of stalkers:

Love Obsessed - obsession with a known person
Simple Obsessed - obsession with a stranger

Stalking Brochure

If you feel that you are at risk of being in a potentially harmful or violent situation, consider the following options:

Security at Home

Positively identify callers before opening doors.
Install solid core doors with dead bolts.
Install a wide angle viewer in all primary doors.
Install adequate outside lighting. Trim back bushes and vegetation around residence.
Keep a fuse box locked. Keep battery powered lanterns or flashlights in the residence.
Maintain an unlisted telephone number. If harassing calls persist, notify local law enforcement, but also keep a written log of harassing calls and any answering machine tapes of calls.
Use a private post office box. Give residential address only to trusted friends and family.
Be alert for any unusual packages or boxes on the premises. Do not disturb such objects.

Tip:

Print out this page for future reference.

Security at Work

Inform a trusted colleague about the situation. Provide that person with a photo or description of the suspect.
Allow co-workers to screen calls, visitors and packages. Do not accept any package unless you personally ordered an item.
Always park in a secured area.
Notify on-site security of any suspicious activities.
Vary travel routes which are regularly used.
Be alert of unknown people and cars following you home from work.

If you are being stalked, it is important that you treat all threats as legitimate and inform law enforcement. Keep a log of every stalking incident, plus names, dates and times of your contacts with law enforcement and others.

contact the webmaster

updated 6/12/06

Anti-Stalking Laws

A new anti-stalking law, Penal Code 42.072, came into effect in Texas on January 28, 1997. This law forbids the following actions by the stalker or others who act on his or her behalf.

Following on more than one occasion, following; placing a person under surveillance; making threats that cause the victim to fear immediate or future injury, death or damage to his or her property.

Threats and/or actions can be conveyed either directly to the victim, or through family or household members.

Back to Our Issues \| Stalking Brochure
VAV Events Peers Peer Theater Resources Our Issues Same Sex Issues VAV Home CMHC	What is Stalking? The act of stalking occurs when a person intentionally and knowingly engages in behavior that is directed toward another person that would cause a reasonable individual to fear for his or her safety or the safety of his or her immediate family. This could include: Close physical or visual contact such as watching, following, spying, etc. Making overt or implied threats on at least two occasions (phone calls, letters, messages, e-mail, etc.) Who? Anyone can be a stalker - male or female, young or old. The majority of stalkers are men with female victims, although it is not rare for this to be reversed. Stalkers tend to be young to middle-aged and are usually intelligent. They come from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. Forensic psychologists have identified two types of stalkers: Love Obsessed - obsession with a known person Simple Obsessed - obsession with a stranger
Stalking Brochure	If you feel that you are at risk of being in a potentially harmful or violent situation, consider the following options:
	Security at Home Positively identify callers before opening doors. Install solid core doors with dead bolts. Install a wide angle viewer in all primary doors. Install adequate outside lighting. Trim back bushes and vegetation around residence. Keep a fuse box locked. Keep battery powered lanterns or flashlights in the residence. Maintain an unlisted telephone number. If harassing calls persist, notify local law enforcement, but also keep a written log of harassing calls and any answering machine tapes of calls. Use a private post office box. Give residential address only to trusted friends and family. Be alert for any unusual packages or boxes on the premises. Do not disturb such objects.
Tip: Print out this page for future reference.	Security at Work Inform a trusted colleague about the situation. Provide that person with a photo or description of the suspect. Allow co-workers to screen calls, visitors and packages. Do not accept any package unless you personally ordered an item. Always park in a secured area. Notify on-site security of any suspicious activities. Vary travel routes which are regularly used. Be alert of unknown people and cars following you home from work. If you are being stalked, it is important that you treat all threats as legitimate and inform law enforcement. Keep a log of every stalking incident, plus names, dates and times of your contacts with law enforcement and others.
contact the webmaster updated 6/12/06	Anti-Stalking Laws A new anti-stalking law, Penal Code 42.072, came into effect in Texas on January 28, 1997. This law forbids the following actions by the stalker or others who act on his or her behalf. Following on more than one occasion, following; placing a person under surveillance; making threats that cause the victim to fear immediate or future injury, death or damage to his or her property. Threats and/or actions can be conveyed either directly to the victim, or through family or household members.