January is a month when stalking awareness is held. So, what is stalking and why is stalking awareness essential to be held?
Stalking is a pattern of conduct, unlike other crimes that include a single event. It is also composed of individual acts that may seem harmless or non-criminal on their own but could constitute criminal actions if taken in the sense of a stalking situation. Stalking can cause you to feel fear or emotional distress due to usually persistent, unwelcome attempts to communicate with, monitor, threaten or harass you, according to the Rape, Assault & Incest National Network (RAINN). Between current or past romantic partners, colleagues, acquaintances, or strangers, stalking may take place. Such behaviours may occur in-person, online, or through a combination of both media.
Based on the statistics, people aged 18-24 have the highest rate of victimisation by stalking, and over 1 in 4 victims of stalking revealed that even some sort of technology was used. A stalker may or may not be someone you know well at all. However, the majority of stalking victims are stalked by someone they know, often by a current or former intimate partner. Stalking can occur through several things, such as technology or media. The media is also an essential factor that can influence someone to stalk. According to a study conducted by Julia Lippman, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan, exposure to media portrayals of romanticised stalking behaviours can lead to stalking-supportive beliefs. In her research, women who watched a romantic depiction of stalking were more inclined to agree with stalking-supporting myths such as “An individual who goes to the extremes of stalking must really deeply care for his/her love interest.” Those who watched a terrifying portrayal of stalking were less likely to accept stalking myths than the romantic group or the control group.
Of course, This kind of condition is worrisome due to the effects it can cause on mental health. Yes, stalking can have several impacts such as post-traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, social dysfunction, personality change, and depression symptoms.
So, what are the signs of stalking?
● Calling and texting you repeatedly
● Following you wherever you are
● Giving undesired packages, letters, cards, or emails
● Harming your building, car, or other properties
● Tracking your phone calls, device use, or account for social media
● Hacking into your email or social media accounts
● Using technology to watch where you go, such as hidden cameras or global positioning systems (GPS),
Of course, if something like this happens in our lives, then there are a number of things we can do, such as
1) Notifying the police. This is the first thing victims of events involving stalking can do.
2) Recording the stalking activity. The victim should maintain a detailed record of each encounter with the stalker. Included in this record of incidents should be dates, times, locations, a complete description of the offender, words spoken, actions taken during the incident.
Stalking is like terror. It can make people worry and not feel comfortable. As a result, we have to know it, name it, and stop it.
References :
“January: Stalking Awareness Month | SHARE: Education Team.” Accessed February 2, 2021. https://sara.stanford.edu/education-outreach-programs/awareness-months/january-stalking-awareness-month.
“Preventing Stalking |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC.”
“The Prevention of Stalking.” Accessed February 6, 2021. https://uca.edu/police/crime-prevention/the-prevention-of-stalking/.
“Week 2 SARA Events & Announcements.” Accessed February 4, 2021. https://mailchi.mp/e4e82601d5be/week-2-sara-events-announcements.
By Alizha Rochana Putri
AMSA-Indonesia
Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran