Protecting Yourself from Stalkers

Being subject to a stalker or stalking type of behavior can be very scary. As you lock your doors, look out your window you find that someone simply won't leave you alone. Every little noise that goes "bump in the night" causes you to jump up in freight. You might even be afraid for your family, your job or your life.

Stalking is illegal by law and warrants a felony charge. However, stalking is difficult to prove and in many cases falls the perpetrators are caught under other violations such as theft, trespassing and assault. The way people define stalking, what constitutes stalking and at what level it is a threat seem to be different depending on who you are talking to.

Ninety percent of people who were murdered by someone they had a relationship with were stalked beforehand (Stalkers, 2006). Stalking is a serious offence that can cause the rape or murder of a person. People who stalk are preying on someone no different then a lion attempting to catch a gazelle. You just know when they are coming in for the attack.

There are a number of reasons why people stalk another person. These include power, possession, harassment, preoccupation or delusions. For example, someone who has been rejected on a date might stalk because they are delusional in believing that if they pursue someone they like that person will enjoy their advances. If they are malicious they may stalk for the simple pleasure of causing that other person pain and anxiety.

It is difficult to ascertain precisely what in a person's personality or what type of behavior causes stalking. Stalking can be caused by a traumatic rejection of a relationship that damages their ego or it may also be caused by feelings of love and infatuation for another person. It may even be caused by the will to hurt another person.

People who have fragile egos often feel insulted or scorned easily. They get angry with a person for rejecting them and project onto that person many of their poor relationships, problems and issues. They feel that if they and the person of their affection can be together things will work out well.

If you are stalked you have to make immediate action. Within the first few hours of being stalked you need to make a police report and get it on record. Each and every time someone violates your rights to privacy you have to be diligent in pursing it. Eventually the stalker will get caught or it will be easier for the stalker to move on to an easier target.