The download on Stalking:

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According to SPARC (the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resources Center in the United States), stalking is a pattern of behavior directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for the person's safety or the safety of others; or suffer substantial emotional distress.

1. Fixated and/or Obsessive Behavior.

2. Unwanted. 

     Founder's POV: Even expensive gifts can be a threat to a victim if they are unwanted. SPARC offers a great example: in stalking cases, many of the behaviors are only scary to a victim because of their relationship with the stalker. For example, a random gift of a bouquet of roses is not scary on its own. But when a victim receives a bouquet from an abusive ex-partner who she recently relocated to get away from, this flower delivery becomes terrifying and threatening. It is essential for responders to ask about and understand why certain behaviors are scary to the victim. (Context matters!)

3. Repeated and/or Persistent.  

A repeated action is considered 2 or more incidents or stalkiing behaviors. 

     Founder's:POV: Different places put a different amount of importance on the number of documented incidents to determine a "pattern."  It's essential to learn about the local laws where you live.

4. Causes Fear or Distress. 

     Founder's:POV: Distress can manifest in different ways for victims: some will contact authorities immediately, some will act okay but change their routine to avoid the behavior, some will minimize the behaviors in their head or to others, and many victims' behaviors will fall somewhere in been. It is important to realize that it is not uncommon that victims mask fear and distress with other emotions like irritation, anger, frustration, hopelessness, or despair. 

Perpetrators use a variety of behaviors to stalk victims, including (but not limited to): 

• unwanted communication, including phone calls, texts, emails, and contact via social media
• unwanted gifts
• showing up/approaching a person or their family/friends unsolicited
• monitoring a person closely, including surveillance of the person's workplace, home, online activity, or other frequented places
• threatening a person in some way, verbally or otherwise
• property damage
• online harassment like hacking, sending viruses, or threatening to share private information

Anyone can be a victim of stalking. The majority of stalking victims (~3/4) are stalked by someone they know, such as a current or former intimate partner, acquaintance, or family member.  

Generally, the element of fear is what separates stalking from harassment, though they can overlap as harassment may be part of a stalking pattern of behavior. However, harassment is typically irritating and bothersome, sometimes to the point where a victim feels deeply uncomfortable, but victims may not be afraid of a perpetrator.

For example, a colleague who consistently mocks a new coworker for her appearance may be harassing her, and while the victim may feel sad, anxious, angry and/or uncomfortable, she may not afraid of the perpetrator (i.e. she does not believe that the behaviors will escalate or that further harm will come to her.) But, if that same perpetrator began calling the victim’s cell phone everyday, following the victim and/or posting disparaging things about the victim online, it could become stalking.