Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Noticing strange behavior
• Part 2 of 3: Observing the stalker's characteristics
• Part 3 of 3: Recognizing a stalker
• Tips

Many people don't take stalking seriously, which can lead to potentially dangerous situations. A stalker is someone who pays attention to you in a way that would make most people anxious. Stalking is illegal and may involve threat or intimidation. If you think you are being stalked or are concerned about someone's behavior, take any clues or feelings you may have seriously and report your concerns to your parents or the police. Pay attention to strange behavior and familiarize yourself with the traits and characteristics that stalkers have in common.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Noticing strange behavior

1. Notice if there is an explicit and ongoing need to contact you. A stalker may contact you immediately and approach you incessantly. This person can start calling, texting, emailing you and visiting you to an extent that feels intrusive. If the contact is outside social norms and you feel uncomfortable, the behavior may be related to stalking.
   • It is possible that the person visits you through various social media platforms and wants to be "friends" and then starts texting you non-stop. It can make you feel uncomfortable.
2. Recognize someone who is sticky or watching you. Someone with stabbing tendencies may insist that you take them to events or go to meetings with friends or family. The person may insist on knowing where you are going or knowing your plans. You may start to feel uncomfortable with someone who always wants to know where you are or what your plans are for the day.
   • If someone insists on knowing what you do every day, it could be a red flag. There is a difference between being interested in your life and becoming obsessed with your comings and goings.
   • When you meet someone who shows these qualities, ask yourself if you want to see that person more often.
3. Be aware if they know more about you than you have told them. A stalker may have information about you that you never provided. The person may have researched you and collected information about you, your workplace, your friends, family members, and favorite places. Maybe he / she knows your route to and from work, what time you go to the gym, and any other patterns in your schedule.
   • You may notice that the person makes a mistake and says something you never told them. This can be a warning signal.
4. Recognize social awkwardness. A stalker may not know the boundaries of acceptable social behavior. The person may be socially uncomfortable, have little to no social awareness, and may not "fit" into groups. The stalker may have little awareness of how people interact with others or make assumptions about how others perceive him or her. Often the person has little or no personal relationships and low self-esteem.
   • Some people just act awkwardly, but they aren't stalkers. If you don't seem to be obsessed with the person, appear threatening, and don't particularly cling to you, then they probably just aren't very good at socializing.
5. Pay attention to how the person reacts to boundaries. Notice what happens when you politely set a boundary with them, such as, `` Please don't talk to me when I'm working '' or `` Please don't call after 9:00 PM - I need this time to relax. '' While regular people like this will not respect stalkers. They may ignore your boundaries, try another method of invading your personal space (eg, espionage), or intimidate you into fear of setting boundaries.
   • Some socially awkward people, and those with developmental disabilities, have trouble reading body language. But if you clearly ask them not to do something, they are able to respect it.
6. Be on the lookout for unannounced visits. Someone with stalker tendencies may drop by and visit you unannounced. This is troubling when you tell someone you have plans and the person shows up without telling you first. Watch for this alarm that the person is not abiding by your boundaries or respecting your privacy.
   • The person may act innocently, but pay attention to your own feelings. Do you feel uncomfortable or threatened, even if only slightly? Does the visit feel a bit aggressive or intrusive?
   • You will also find that you often bump into the person when you are outside. This could be because the person has memorized your schedule and knows where you are during the day.
7. Recognize physically aggressive behavior. You may want a stalker all to himself. As you start to distance yourself, the person can become increasingly aggressive and intimidating. Any thought of your departure can cause serious anxiety for the person and lead to the feeling of being abandoned. The person can become physically aggressive. This person can follow you closely or stand close to you, as if to say, "You can't get away from me even if you try."
8. Watch out for other serious behaviors. Stalking can take many forms. If you feel that someone's behavior could be considered stalking, seek help from the local authorities. Some other serious behaviors to report immediately include:
   • Destroy your belongings.
   • Send things to you by mail, such as photos, letters or other items.
   • Drive a lot past your house.
   • Make false reports about you to the police.
9. Respond to the stalking. If you think you are being stalked, take action. If someone you know starts to get threatening, communicate clearly and clearly that you want to be left alone. Limit your use of social media and increase your security everywhere: change your house locks, close your windows, change your phone number and adjust your daily patterns. Don't go anywhere alone and tell friends, family, co-workers and neighbors about your situation and ask for their help to keep you safe.
   • Never confront the stalker alone. Always have someone - a friend, family member or acquaintance - present. If necessary, notify the police.

Part 2 of 3: Observing the stalker's characteristics

1. Recognize delusions. Many stalkers suffer from delusions. The delusions could be that you have something the person needs or wants, that you are this person's only true soulmate, or that you have secrets that the person needs to know.
   • The delusions can fuel the stalking behavior and the person will believe that the delusions are true.
2. Identify intensity. Most stalkers come across as very intense people. When you first meet a stalker, you may notice that he / she maintains intensive and long-term eye contact. This can feel flattering at first, but it can also come across as threatening. This person may believe that the two of you have a very strong bond or are meant to be together.
   • This intensity can show through a barrage of texts, frequent visits, or elaborate ways to get your attention.
3. Watch for obsessions. Stalkers can have obsessive tendencies. They cannot accept "no" and exhibit or think highly fixated behavior. This obsessiveness can be very discouraging to others, but the person is unaware of how the behavior affects others.
   • The person may become so fixated in his or her thoughts and behavior that the stalker behavior becomes central to his or her life. For example, a stalker might be obsessed with wanting to see you every day or know what you're going to do.
4. Note the need for control. The feeling of being in control feeds the stalker behavior. The more the person knows about you, the more they feel empowered or like they control you. Often control is gained by learning as much about you as possible. This is especially true for social media. A stalker can ask you questions about photos or events in very specific ways.
   • If someone asks you multiple times about the person you were with in a photo or a specific location of a message, this could be a warning sign.
5. Watch for big gestures. Often times, a stalker will believe that you are the only person they can love. This romance can quickly turn into obsession and stalker behavior. This person, with whom you are not romantically involved, can visit you or try to win you over by making big gestures to show his or her love.This could be something like buying expensive items for you, traveling long distances to see you, or making a lavish proposal.

Part 3 of 3: Recognizing a stalker

1. Know the common features. Some patterns have emerged regarding stalkers. Some things to watch out for include someone who is unemployed or in under-skilled work, age late thirties and forties, and intelligent (has completed high school and / or higher education). Stalkers are often male, but women are also guilty of it.
   • Drug abuse and personality disorders are common among stalkers.
2. Know if it's someone you know. Usually people are chased by someone they know. The most common stalker is an ex. This can be especially dangerous if the ex has a history of domestic violence. An ex can show up at your workplace and put you and other people at risk. Someone who knows you can know which places you visit often and threaten you there.
   • If you have an ex who you think could be dangerous, notify security at your workplace and provide a photo of the person. You could also warn colleagues of possible dangers by saying, "Someone dangerous is trying to reach me. Don't open the door for this person. "
   • Some people stalk out of revenge and may be an ex-coworker, a vengeful family member, or a spiteful friend.
3. Find out if the stalker is a stranger. Being stalked by a stranger can be just as much of a cause for concern as by someone you know because it is impossible to know the stranger's motives and whether the person is dangerous. Some common reasons for a stranger to stalk you may be that they yearn for you, agree or disagree with your political views, view you as a celebrity, or harbor love-hate feelings toward you.
   • If you suspect that you are being harassed by a stranger, report it to the police.
4. Seek help to get rid of a stalker. If you are being stalked, it is important that you seek help as soon as possible. If the person is not stopped, the stalking can eventually escalate into a dangerous situation for you. Contact the local authorities as soon as possible to get help.
   • If you feel that you are in immediate danger, call the emergency services right away.

Tips

• Collect evidence if you want to report the stalking. Keep text messages, voicemails, videos, or other evidence of this person's stalking or threats.