January starts the month long awareness campaign on stalking and its many facets. Stalking is more than harassment and much more than jokes about “Facebook Stalking” or “internet stalking.”
In Texas, stalking is defined as “when a person engages in a pattern of repeated behavior that is directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. The stalker makes threats that can include injuring the targeted person, death threats, and threats to injure a member of the victim’s family or household or someone they are dating”1 (Texas Penal Code Section ยง42.072).
So what does stalking look like?
- This can look like an ex partner following a victim to work, church, school, or home trying to talk to them or reconcile.
- It might look like sending numerous text messages, usually escalating in emotion and the fear they cause the victim.
- It can also look like sending gifts that appear nice or sweet, but are unwanted and are intended to manipulate the victim into a specific action.
- Stalking can include damaging property like one’s care, home, or pet if the victim does not respond to the stalker’s actions.
- It may also include threats to the victim, their family, friends, and property.
Stalking can happen to anyone.
Learn more and find helpful resources at the Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center.
1 https://texaslawhelp.org/article/stalking-and-the-law-in-texas
2 Images from https://www.stalkingawareness.org/