January is stalking awareness month. Stalking, unfortunately, receives less attention than other forms of interpersonal violence in areas like policy, victim resources and prevention.
The criminalization of stalking only began recently in the early 1990s. Modern media continues to portray stalking as a harmless and even endearing act of love that a man exhibits because he is in love with a woman. In reality, people of all genders can be victims (and perpetrators) of stalking.
Images like those we often see in the media romanticize the idea of stalking rather than bringing awareness to how dangerous it is for victims. Unwanted stalking behaviors often invade a person’s privacy, space and sense of safety. Stalking can include receiving repeated contact, following the victim physically or virtually, damaging property, threatening the victim and more. Stalkers use obsessive behaviors as a way to exhibit power and control, like many other forms of interpersonal violence. Someone who encounters stalking can experience both short- and long-term effects. These effects can be physical, mental, social and economic. Some short-term effects could include intense fear, change of routine, avoidance of social situations or poor work or academic performance. Long-term effects could include sleep disorders, anxiety or depression.
College students are especially vulnerable to stalking. This may be due to the more frequent use of social media by college students and the personal information shared on these public platforms. About 5.8% of college students have experienced stalking since beginning their studies. Usually, a perpetrator of stalking is a former or current partner of the victim. If the perpetrator is a current or former partner, physical violence is more likely to occur.
In some instances, stalking has become easier for perpetrators during lockdown for COVID-19. With stay-at-home orders in place, victim’s whereabouts are much easier to track. Apps like Instagram make it easy to tag your location when you post, and Snapchat has a feature that allows your location to be available at all times. It is important to keep in mind which apps have access to your personal information and location. Resources for victims may also be more difficult to access because of lockdown. Because many organizations that offer assistance and support have moved to virtual services, they may be less visible in public and more difficult for those who do not have access to reliable technology or wi-fi.
A Day of Events
On Jan. 29, 2021, the Women’s Center held a full day of programming for stalking awareness month. The first workshop of the day, “Stalking is NOT Romantic,” discussed the implications of romanticizing stalking and other forms of interpersonal violence in movies and TV.
Women’s Center staff explained how this romanticization of stalking and IPV can potentially normalize and encourage stalking behaviors. The “Safety Planning” workshop featured staff from Student Legal Services (SLS), the Department of Risk Assessment and the Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity (OIED). Krista Morris-Lehman from the Department of Risk Assessment recommended techsafety.org for tips on how to stay safe online and with other technology. Speakers also shared how to protect yourself from stalking using resources like the Safe at NC State website, and what actions to take if you are being stalked. David Elrod, OIED and Pam Gerace, SLS discussed NC State’s policies on stalking as well as legal services available to students. Women’s Center staff and The Movement Peer Educators hosted panel discussions where participants were welcomed to ask questions about stalking and supporting survivors.
If you know a survivor of stalking, thank them for sharing their story with you, let them take the lead on their healing journey and be there to listen to and support them.
** If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence, sexual violence, stalking or any other form of interpersonal violence and are in need of advocacy services, the NC State Women’s Center has trained advocates available to offer crisis intervention, emotional support, resources, and referrals. Students can contact the 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline at 919.515.4444 or email@example.com to be connected with an advocate for remote support via phone, Zoom or Google Hangout.
Advocacy services through the NC State Women’s Center are available for all students inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
- All stalking victims suffer lasting psychological damage, new research finds (Police Professional, Apr. 8, 2019)
- Campus Sexual Violence: Statistics (Rainn.org, 2014)
- Dealing with the unknown: Learning from stalking victims’ experiences (Korkodeilou, J., Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 16(4), 2014)
- January is Stalking Awareness Month (Diversity Digest, Jan. 11, 2018)
- Intimate Partner Stalking among College Students: Examining Situational Contexts Related to Police Notification (Augustyn, M.B., Rennison, C.M., Pinchevsky, G.M. et al., J Fam Viol 35, 679–691, 2020).
Carlyn Wright-Eakes is the interpersonal violence prevention education coordinator in the Women’s Center. Caylee Wingate is majoring in social work with a minor in criminology and is an intern in the Women’s Center.
Januari ni mwezi wa kujihadhari na kuhojiwa. Kwa bahati mbaya, unyanyasaji hupokea umakini mdogo kuliko aina nyingine za vurugu za kati ya watu katika maeneo kama sera, rasilimali za waathirika na kuzuia. Uhalifu wa stalking ulianza hivi karibuni katika miaka ya 1990. Vyombo vya habari vya kisasa vinaendelea kuelezea unyanyasaji kama tendo la upendo lisilo na madhara na lenye kupendeza ambalo mwanamume huonyesha kwa sababu anapenda mwanamke. Kwa kweli, watu wa jinsia zote wanaweza kuwa wahasiriwa (na watenda-dhambi) wa kudanganya. Picha kama hizo ambazo mara nyingi tunaziona kwenye vyombo vya habari zinafanya wazo la kufuatilia liwe la kimapenzi badala ya kuleta ufahamu wa jinsi ni hatari kwa waathirika. Tabia zisizohitajika za kumfuatilia mara nyingi huvamia faragha ya mtu, nafasi na hisia ya usalama. Kufuatia kunaweza kujumuisha kupokea mawasiliano ya mara kwa mara, kumfuata mhasiriwa kimwili au kwa kweli, kuharibu mali, kumtisha mhasiriwa na zaidi. Watesaji hutumia tabia za kukasirisha kama njia ya kuonyesha nguvu na udhibiti, kama aina nyingine nyingi za vurugu za kati ya watu. Mtu anayekabiliwa na unyanyasaji wa kimapenzi anaweza kupatwa na madhara ya muda mfupi na ya muda mrefu. Athari hizo zaweza kuwa za kimwili, kiakili, kijamii na kiuchumi. Matokeo ya muda mfupi yanaweza kuwa hofu kali, mabadiliko ya kawaida, kuepuka hali za kijamii au kazi duni au utendaji wa kitaaluma. Athari za muda mrefu zaweza kutia ndani matatizo ya usingizi, wasiwasi au mshuko wa moyo. Wanafunzi wa chuo kikuu ni hasa walio hatarini kwa kushawishiwa. Hii inaweza kuwa kwa sababu ya matumizi ya mara kwa mara ya vyombo vya habari vya kijamii na wanafunzi wa chuo kikuu na habari za kibinafsi zilizoshirikiwa kwenye majukwaa haya ya umma. Takriban asilimia 5.8 ya wanafunzi wa chuo kikuu wamepatwa na unyanyasaji tangu kuanza masomo yao. Kwa kawaida, mtu anayemfuatilia mhasiriwa ni mwenzi wa zamani au wa sasa wa mhasiriwa. Ikiwa mhalifu ni mwenzi wa sasa au wa zamani, huenda jeuri ya kimwili ikawa kubwa zaidi. Katika baadhi ya matukio, kushawishi kumekuwa rahisi kwa wahalifu wakati wa kufungwa kwa COVID-19. Kwa kuwa amri ya kukaa nyumbani imewekwa, ni rahisi sana kufuatilia mahali ambapo mhasiriwa yuko. Programu kama vile Instagram hufanya iwe rahisi kuweka alama ya eneo lako wakati wa kuchapisha, na Snapchat ina kipengele ambacho kinaruhusu eneo lako kupatikana wakati wote. Ni muhimu kuzingatia ni programu gani zinazoweza kupata habari yako ya kibinafsi na eneo lako. Vifaa vya msaada kwa wahasiriwa pia vinaweza kuwa vigumu kupata kwa sababu ya kufungwa. Kwa sababu mashirika mengi ambayo hutoa msaada na msaada yamehamia huduma za kawaida, inaweza kuwa chini ya kuonekana kwa umma na ngumu zaidi kwa wale ambao hawana upatikanaji wa teknolojia ya kuaminika au Wi-Fi. Siku ya matukio: Januari 29, 2021, Kituo cha Wanawake kilifanya siku kamili ya programu kwa mwezi wa ufahamu wa kufuatilia. Warsha ya kwanza ya siku, <unk>Stalking is NOT Romantic,<unk> ilijadili athari za romantizing stalking na aina nyingine za vurugu za kati ya watu katika filamu na TV. Mfanyakazi wa Kituo cha Wanawake alielezea jinsi hii romanticization ya stalking na IPV inaweza uwezekano wa normalize na kuhamasisha tabia stalking. Mkutano huo wa "Utaratibu wa Usalama" ulishirikiana na wafanyakazi kutoka Huduma za Sheria za Wanafunzi (SLS), Idara ya Tathmini ya Hatari na Ofisi ya Usawa na Tofauti ya Taasisi (OIED). Krista Morris-Lehman, Mkurugenzi wa Idara ya Tathmini ya Hatari, alitoa ushauri wa kuvutia kwa watumiaji wa mtandao wa TechSafety.org kuhusu jinsi ya kuhifadhi usalama wa mtandao na teknolojia nyingine. "Wazungumzaji pia walishiriki jinsi ya kujilinda dhidi ya kufuatilia kwa kutumia rasilimali kama vile ""Safe at NC State"" tovuti, na ni hatua gani za kuchukua ikiwa unashikiliwa." David Elrod, OIED na Pam Gerace, SLS walijadili sera za Jimbo la NC juu ya kushambulia na vile vile huduma za kisheria zinazopatikana kwa wanafunzi. Wafanyakazi wa Kituo cha Wanawake na The Movement Peer Educators waliandaa majadiliano ya jopo ambapo washiriki walikaribishwa kuuliza maswali juu ya kuwatesa na kuunga mkono waokokaji. Ikiwa unajua mtu aliyeokoka stalking, shukuru kwa kushiriki hadithi yao na wewe, waache wachukue uongozi katika safari yao ya uponyaji na uwepo ili kusikiliza na kuunga mkono. Kama wewe au mtu unayemjua ni uzoefu uhusiano vurugu, unyanyasaji wa kingono, stalking au aina nyingine yoyote ya unyanyasaji wa kati ya watu na wanahitaji huduma ya utetezi, NC State Wanawake Center ina mafunzo watetezi inapatikana kutoa mgomo mgogoro, msaada wa kihisia, rasilimali, na marejeo. Wanafunzi wanaweza kuwasiliana na Lini ya Msaada ya Kushambulia Kijinsia ya 24 7 kwa 919.51444 au barua pepe kwa mfano ili kuunganishwa na mtetezi wa msaada wa mbali kupitia simu, Zoom au Google Hangout. Huduma za utetezi kupitia Kituo cha Wanawake cha Jimbo la NC zinapatikana kwa wanafunzi wote ikiwa ni pamoja na utambulisho wote wa kijinsia na mwelekeo wa kijinsia. - Utafiti mpya unaonyesha kwamba watu wote wanaodhulumiwa kwa sababu ya kumfuatilia wanapata madhara ya kudumu ya kisaikolojia (Police Professional, Apr. "Kupitia utafiti wa ""Uchunguzi wa Uhalifu wa Kijinsia katika Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu cha Chuo Kikuu.""" J. F. Viol, 35, 679 <unk> 691, 2020). Carlyn Wright-Eakes ni mratibu wa elimu ya kuzuia vurugu kati ya watu katika Kituo cha Wanawake. Caylee Wingate ni majoring katika kazi ya kijamii na ndogo katika criminology na ni intern katika Kituo cha Wanawake.