Monday, January 12, 2009

January Is National Stalking Awareness Month



Do you feel like you are being watched? Do you get strange phone calls at home or at work? Do you receive unsolicited mail from someone who "admires" you? You may be being stalked. Stalking is a crime in all 50 states, and stalking can happen to anyone, not just Hollywood stars.

Stalkers are often quite hard to stop, and they may hurt or even escalate to murdering their victims. If you think you have a stalker, please be aware of the dangers, they can take many forms and that's why it's sometimes difficult for authorities to investigate.

Stalking may look like something innocent in the beginning, someone sends you a nice greeting card or email, someone makes a surprise visit to your workplace or home. Escalation into assault and even murder is a very real possiblity, and every precaution should be taken to stay safe.

Stalkers are very tricky and use a range of devices such as hidden cameras and video cameras, computers, and GPS devices to keep track of their victim. They are known to travel into different jurisdictions making it harder for authorities to apprehend. All forms of stalking can be unpredictable and should be considered dangerous.

1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in our country. 76% of all women killed by a spouse or boyfriend were stalked before they were killed. These statistics are preventable with education and cooperation at every level of the legal system.

Get involved at your community level to bring awareness to this growing epidemic that knows no economic, ethnic, or social boundaries.

If you think you are being stalked, report it to authorities, or call 1-800-FYI-CALL.

Visit the National Center for Victims of Crime website for more information and what you can do to help someone who may be stalked.





Please join us at Peace4 the Missing
Missing Persons Awareness and Support Network
http://peace4missing.ning.com

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