How to Help Friends or Family Members

Every stalker is different, so there is no single solution. However, there are some general guidelines:

Guidelines:

• Trust their/your instincts about a situation and take threats seriously.
• Take precautions to ensure their safety.
• Explain why they should cut off contact with the stalker, including refraining from emails, text messages, phone calls and third-party communication—even if it seems like talking to them might be a way to convince the stalker to stop. Continued contact may encourage a stalker to keep stalking.
• Check out a stalking resource bag from the Gender Equity Center to help document the stalker’s actions. Stalking is sometimes viewed as a series of non-criminal offenses which collectively constitutes a crime. For this reason, it is important to document and report all of the stalker’s harassing actions or attempts to contact or monitor you. This includes any voicemails, emails, text messages, letters, gifts, sightings or attempts to contact or give messages to you through another person.
• Inform roommates, co-workers or supervisors of the situation so they may be supportive and help keep them stay safe by notifying them or the police if the stalker contacts them.
• Report the stalker to the police.