Anyone can be a victim of stalking. Stalkers may be current or former partners or spouses, a stranger with an obsession for the victim, a person whom the victim rejected when asked for a date, a coworker or employer.
Stalkers intimidate, harass, terrorize and control victims through various activities. Stalking is intrusive and a violation of privacy. Activities often include following the victim to and from work, school or social activities, standing near the victim's home, making harassing phone calls, sending mail or electronic mail, and sending unwanted gifts.
Ways to Protect Yourself
Do not walk alone. Have someone escort you to your destination.
Vary the times and routes you take to get to work or class or to other frequently visited places.
Notify your family and friends, and explain the situation to your employer
so that they may protect you at work.
Change your telephone number or E-mail address.
If You are a Victim of Stalking, Know the Following:
As soon as you are threatened or feel threatened, you should call the police and file a police report.
Call the police and file a report if the offender follows you to keep you under surveillance.
Ask the police to document each incident. Documentation will strengthen your case, if the offender is charged with stalking in the future. Also, it will alert the police that you may be in danger.
Do not wait until the offender has completed all the acts necessary to commit the offense of stalking before you tell someone.
Facts
The National Center for Victims of Crime report the following:
The National Institute of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics cosponsored a nationally representative phone survey of 4,446 female students at 223 colleges and universities. The colleges and universities varied in enrollment size and location. Respondents were asked a series of "screen questions" based on types of sexual victimization that could have occurred during the first seven months of school. The results are listed below:
- 13% of the college women had been stalked since the school year began.
- 80.3% of victims knew or had seen their stalker before.
- Stalking incidents lasted on average for 2 months.
- 3 in 10 women reported being injured emotionally or psychologically from being stalked.
- In 15.3% of incidents, the victim reported that the stalker either threatened or attempted to harm them.
- In 10.3% of incidents, the victim reported that the stalker forced or attempted sexual contact.
- Overall, 83.1% of stalking incidents were NOT reported to police or campus law enforcement.
- 93.4% of victims confided in someone, most often a friend, that they were being stalked.
- 43.2% avoided or tried to avoid the stalker
- 3.9% sought restraining orders
- 2.9% sought psychological counseling.
Where to Obtain a Restraining Order
Restraining order packets can be obtained from the following locations:
Butte County Superior Court
655 Oleander Avenue
Chico, Ca 95926
or
Butte County Superior Court
1 Court Drive
Oroville, Ca 95965
(530) 538-2802
Once the packet is completed it MUST be filed with the above listed Oroville Superior Court.
If you need assistance completing the restraining order you may contact the Community Legal Information Center
W. Second and Cherry Street
Chico, Ca 95929-0750
(530) 898-4354
http://www.csuchico.edu/clic/
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