National Stalking Awareness Month

National Stalking Awareness Month

January is National Stalking Awareness Month. National Stalking Awareness Month is represented by the color blue. It is also represented by the color yellow. Wear a blue or yellow enamel awareness ribbon pin, fabric ribbon, or blue or year silicone awareness bracelet to call attention to this important awareness month.

It is critical that we raise awareness about the violating nature of stalking and its warning signs. Stalking often occurs in many different forms, including making repeated unsolicited phone calls, sending unwanted letters or other items, and following victims or showing up at their workplaces or homes. COVID-19 restrictions created new vulnerabilities for victims of stalking, particularly through online methods and social media. Cyberstalking is another form of threatening behavior including, but not limited to, unwarranted e-mails, instant and direct messaging, or liking and commenting on social media posts. The fear, stress, and anxiety that a stalking victim endures can be debilitating to a person.

Statistics About Stalking

Individuals 18-24 years old experience the highest rates of stalking (among adults). Many college stalking victims disclose to their friends before talking to anyone else. This provides a unique opportunity for universities to increase awareness around stalking and support victims. Stalking is a serious, prevalent, and dangerous issue that impacts every campus in the United States. It is a violation of student conduct codes and Title IX. And, in addition, stalking is a crime under the laws of the 50 states, District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and the Federal government. While campus awareness and discussion of sexual assault and intimate partner violence have increased in recent years, stalking remains frequently misunderstood. It is essential for victims, friends, and campus professionals to identify and name stalking.

Raise Awareness About National Stalking Awareness Month

A public awareness campaign can support these efforts by increasing understanding of stalking on campus. It is crucial to raise awareness about available services. In addition, it is important to make it clear that stalking behaviors are always unacceptable. And, of course, to reinforce that unacceptable behaviors are serious reason for concern.

Making Awareness Matter

Awareness does not necessarily mean action. But it’s often the first step toward the change you may want to see on college campuses. Awareness campaigns can be powerful for many reasons.

These include:

Many victims of stalking don’t identify their experience as stalking. Helping individuals identify common stalking tactics by naming them as stalking behaviors can help them make sense of their experience. It can also guide them toward available resources and assistance.

Friends and family members are usually the first people a stalking victim talks to about their experiences. Their responses heavily influence whether or not a victim seeks further help. When friends, family, classmates, teachers, mentors, and colleagues know how to identify stalking, they are better able to support victims and keep them safe.

Stalking is a unique crime that calls for specific safety planning strategies, support, investigation, and discipline/charging, as well as the development and implementation of policies and protocols to ensure an effective response. When relevant staff understand stalking, it can enhance their ability to identify and respond appropriately.

Social norms that minimize, romanticize, or normalize stalking need to change. Working to change social norms that find stalking acceptable or “not a big deal” is a vital step in our efforts to end stalking.

Stalking Awareness Campaigns

Awareness campaigns that focus on fear are not as impactful, so instead focus on informational campaigns and positive social norm messaging. Social norms refer to values, beliefs, attitudes, and/or behaviors shared by a group of people. They are often based on what people believe to be normal, typical, or appropriate. Social norms can function as unspoken rules or guidelines for how people behave, and for how people are expected to behave. People generally follow social norms because they want to fit in with the people around them.

Make a Difference During National Stalking Awareness Month

You can survey your campus to learn what your social norms are and then campaign to change negative or reinforce positive campus social norms. This guides people to realize that others believe victims take stalking seriously and disapprove of stalking behaviors. Encouraging students to “see through” the normalization and misinformation about stalking they’ve been exposed to can also be a powerful (and empowering) engagement strategy. Offer resources to make students aware of what is available to them.