How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid

Searches for romance and warnings about psychopaths get people thinking about stalkers. Here’s how to tell if you’re being stalked or if you think you may be paranoid

How to know if you’re being stalked or are just paranoid

Searches for romance and warnings about psychopaths get people thinking about stalkers. Here’s how to tell if you’re being stalked or if you think you may be paranoid

Name: Sonia, 29

Place of residence: New York City, New York, US

Sessions per day: 6

Ongoing or intermittent: That’s down from 9. But I get disturbed by information that my cat has disappeared, plus other weirdness.

Who can’t stalk me: My neighbours! I spend most of my time at home because I don’t feel comfortable walking the streets.

What I’ve learned about stalking: It’s almost impossible for stalkers to achieve these things without the help of others – without an accomplice to do this work and bring them things.

My advice to people: It’s probably in your best interest to wait and see what happens. They [stalkers] are naturally intelligent, manipulative and crafty. Until I’m sure that it is a real thing, I’m just going to exercise my right to self-protection and caution.

How to tell if you’re being stalked: You may be overestimating what stalker-like behaviour is. Sometimes it’s the minute things start to change.

Who can’t stalk me: My sister. I don’t know why!

What I’ve learned about stalking: Stalking is actually physically difficult, but mentally it can be easily absorbed and relentless. The longer someone can hold on, the harder it is to manage.

My advice to people: Stalkers are people in your world, so you can’t catch them all. But if you’re with a friend and she says there’s a new neighbour who appears to be after you, or you see the same person walking the dog over and over, then contact the police.

More about stalking

• The most dangerous thing a person can do to provoke a stalker is not report them to the police.

• Most victims are attacked with a weapon, but sometimes a stalker will use a screwdriver or some kind of electrical device.

• Most attacks are committed in the home, but stalker-lives also range from stalking victims at a hotel to being at someone’s house, to driving around with a knife, or even threatening to kill.

• Threatening stalker will attack usually, but strangulation is also a weapon. Stalkers can even poison a victim’s food or drinks.

• Stalking victims can suffer physical, emotional and sexual violence.

• You can report a stalker to the FBI.

• A criminal statute in most states makes it illegal to stalk a person.

• States’ stalking laws vary.

• Texas passed a law in October 2018 that makes stalker-locked cars illegal.

• A dating website helps identify stalker

• According to law enforcement, 4.6m people are victims of stalking every year, and researchers think that between 1.5m and 3.5m American women face stalker attacks in their lifetime.

• Anyone who is experiencing relationship abuse in their life can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NAVHotline) anonymously to get support: 1-800-799-7233.

• Online dating gives stalkers access to extremely vulnerable victims.