Stalking
What to Do | How to Help a Friend | Facts about StalkingWhat is Stalking?
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Resources WSU Police Department Stalking Resource Center, the National Center for Victims of Crime |
Stalking is a serious crime that involves the intentional, malicious, repeated following and harassment of a person, causing the person to fear for his/her safety. Stalkers have an emotional obsession with the victim and resort to stalking as a way of maintaining contact. (Source: Cal Poly Pomona Police and Parking Services and WINGS Brochures, California.)
In Michigan, stalking is defined as "a 'willful course of conduct' involving repeated or continuing harassment of another individual that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, 'harassed', molested and that actually causes the victim to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated or molested," (Michigan Penal Code MCL 750.411h). Some common behaviors include:
- Persistent unwanted phone calls, either to you or your friends or family
- Driving by home, work or school, or showing up unexpectedly at places you frequent in everyday life
- Watching you from a distance or following you
- Manipulative behavior, such as threatening suicide in order to get a response
- Sending written messages, letters, e-mail, instant messages, graffiti, etc.
- Sending gifts, either romantic (flowers, jewelry, etc.) or bizarre (inappropriate personal items, dead animals, violent or disturbing art)
- Lying to others about you (claims of infidelity, your cruel behavior, etc.)
- Threatening you, your friends or family
Out of context these actions may appear non-threatening, but cause the victim to feel fear or emotional discomfort. The conduct can be as varied as the stalker’s imagination and his/her ability to take actions that harass, frighten, threaten and/or force himself or herself into the life of the victim.
Stalking can be painful and distressing; counseling is available on campus. Call (313) 577-3398 or stop by 552 Student Center Building for more information.