Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan stands with survivors of stalking and harassment.
Stalking is a serious crime and survivors who experience it deserve to be safe, heard, and protected. Far too often crimes of stalking go unrecognized and unaddressed which is why it’s essential to increase the conversation throughout January around National Stalking Awareness Month.
Did you know 1 in 4 women and 1 in 13 men will experience stalking in their lifetime? While there is less research on trans and nonbinary people facing stalking a 2019 study did find that 27.7% of trans and nonbinary undergraduate students reported incidents of stalking.
Stalking can be defined as:
A pattern of unwanted behavior including monitoring, harassing, repeatedly contacting, or following another person that causes the targeted person to feel frightened, threatened, or intimidated.
Stalking can be difficult to recognize. These are some common actions stalkers take:
Follow you or show up wherever you are
Send unwanted gifts, letters, cards, or emails
Damage your home, car, or other property
Monitor phone calls or computer use
Become fixated or behave in obsessive ways
Use technology like spyware, cameras or GPS to track you
Threaten to disclose intimate or embarrassing images of you (sometimes called “revenge porn”)
Drive by or hang out at or near your home, school, or workplace
Threaten to hurt you, your family, friends, or pets
Find information about you by using public records, online search services, spyware, investigators, or by contacting friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers
Post information or spread rumors about you on the internet, in a public place, or by word of mouth
Other actions that control, track, or frighten you
Experiencing stalking can be scary and difficult to navigate. If you or someone you love is concerned about a stalker, please consider reaching out to a local community resource with experience supporting survivors of stalking.
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Michigan resources include:
Statewide:
Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence – Hotline: 855-VOICES4 or text 866-238-1454
Detroit Region
Flint Region
Kalamazoo Region
Jackson Region
Lansing Region
Mount Pleasant / Saginaw Region
Northern Michigan Region
National Resources:
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233