Identify warning signs. Support survivors. Feel confident calling out harmful stalking behavior. January is Stalking Prevention Month.
Did you know that 25 percent of college students are victims of stalking behavior? IU Indianapolis wants all students to feel safe on campus and know the signs of what is considered stalking.
"Stalking is a really serious event, but we don’t talk about it in the same ways that we do domestic and sexual violence," Assistant Director of Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Advocacy Viviane Linos said. "That’s because stalking is normalized in our culture."
Help prevent stalking in our communities
This month, CAPS, along with peer groups and student organizations, will be holding tablings and events that dive deeper into this topic so students feel empowered if they ever encounter a stalking situation.
Stalking is a pattern of two or more repeated, unwanted behaviors that target a specific person in order to illicit fear. This can include someone waiting outside a classroom, following you home from work or trying to excessively contact you over social media.
Tips for staying safe
It is one thing to know what stalking is – it is another to know how to keep yourself and others safe both on and off campus.
"Safety planning is when you think of possible ways to make your current situation safer," Linos explained. "Maybe you share a photo of your stalker with your friends, your RA or the staff in your residence hall. Maybe you take a different route to your classes or work for a while."
"These aren’t necessarily long-term solutions, but they can help to make you as safe as possible."
When it comes to long-term solutions, Linos emphasized the importance of documenting stalking incidents in a log. A stalking incident log is available online and can be a great resource for holding a stalker accountable.
The incident log can be used as evidence to build a case against a stalker and shows the frequency of a stalker’s behavior to people who may not realize the severity of the issue.
Resources
- Any victims of stalking can anonymously report an incident on the Office of Equal Opportunity website.
- The Division of Student Affairs confidential advocate can be reached through saadv@IU Indianapolis.edu or at 317-274-5715.
- In the case of an imminent emergency, call 911 or IUPD at 317-274-7911.