January Stalking Awareness: Could you be a victim of a stalker?

Stalking is a crime that can touch anyone, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic location, or personal associations. Most stalkers are young to middle-aged men with above-average intelligence.

 

Some stalkers develop an obsession for another person with whom they have no personal relationship. When the victim does not respond as the stalker hopes, the stalker may attempt to force the victim to comply by use of threats and intimidation. When threats and intimidation fail, some stalkers turn to violence.

 

Nobody can truly tell when or why are stalker will begin the actions that lead down the path towards fear, intimidation. One thing is for sure, the victim is not at fault for anything that the stalker Stalking is not an accident, the actions that a stalker take effect millions of people across the United States each year.

 

• 3.4 million people over the age of 18 are stalked each year in the U.S.
• 3 in 4 victims are stalked by someone they know.
• Persons aged 18-24 years experience the highest rate of stalking.
• 11% of stalking victims have been stalked for 5 years or more.
• 1 in 4 victims report being stalked through the use of some form of technology (email or instant messaging).
• 10% of victims report being monitored with global positioning systems (GPS)
• 8% report being monitored through video or digital cameras or listening devices.

 

So how much of an impact does stalking have on their victims. Over 46% of stalking victims fear not knowing what will happen next. Many of the victims fear that the stalking will never stop. Of those victims who are employed, they lose time as a result of their victimization. Over half lose 5 days or work or more.

 

One in seven of the victims are forced to move from their homes or apartment’s because of the victimization.

 

The prevalence of anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction and severe depression is much higher among stalking victims than the general population, especially if the stalking involves being followed or having one’s property destroyed.

 

Unfortunately, there is no single psychological or behavioral profile for stalkers. Every stalker is different. This makes it virtually impossible to devise a single effective strategy that can be applied to every situation. It is vital that stalking victims immediately seek the advice of local victim specialists who can work with them to devise a safety plan for their unique situation and circumstances.

 

What is known is that stalking is a crime in Illinois. In Illinois to be charged with Stalking they person must on two separate occasions place a person under surveillance or any combination and transmits a threat, or places the person under reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint or places that person in reasonable apprehension that a family member will receive immediate or future bodily harm, sexual assault, confinement or restraint.

 

There are other law such as Cyberstalking, Sending of Obscene Messages, Harassment by Telephone, Harassment through Electronic Communications. Each of these laws combined with the stalking law can raise the offense from a Class 4 Felony to a Class 2 Felony. Judges typically impose long sentences on Stalking Offenders.