 | Stalking Information
 What You Should Know if You Are Being Stalked (PDF, 304KB)
Who is affected by stalking?
Anyone can stalk or be stalked, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, ability, or income level. Stalking may involve family members, friends, intimate partners, classmates, coworkers, casual acquaintances, or even total strangers.
Most often, stalkers know their victims. Most female victims and many male victims are stalked by intimate partners. Stalking is most dangerous when it occurs as part of an abusive relationship. An attempt to end an abusive relationship often causes the abuser to become more possessive. Sometimes this leads to stalking.
What is stalking?
Stalkers often are trying to intimidate, harass, and control their victims. They may do this in a number of ways. The behavior may start slowly and escalate. For instance, a stalker may begin by calling once or twice a day and progress to calling several times a day, following you, and waiting for you outside of classes or work.
According to the National College Women Sexual Victimization Study (1997) of stalking on college campuses, the most common stalking behaviors cited by college students are:
- making unwanted telephone calls (78%)
- waiting inside or outside buildings (48%)
- watching from afar (44%)
- following (42%)
- sending unwanted letters (31%)
- sending unwanted e-mails (25%)
- making unwanted visits (5%)
- giving unwanted gifts (3%)
The study also asked victims/survivors about the stalker's relationship to them:
- current or ex-boyfriend (42%)
- classmate (24%)
- acquaintance (10%)
- friend (9%)
- coworker (6%)
Legal Definitions of Stalking Online Stalking Resources for Victims of Sexual Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, or Stalking Student Success Comments & Questions top of page | |
Office of the Dean of Students/Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs Domestic Abuse Intervention Services Madison Police Department National Center for Victims of Crime National Coalition Against Domestic Violence National Sexual Violence Resource Center Rape Crisis Center UW Police Department Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence Working to Halt Abuse Online (cyberstalking) Student Success Comments & Questions
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