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How to Protect Yourself from a Stalker

Stalkers don’t just happen in the movies—according to a 2022 report by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, one in three women will experience stalking in their lifetime. The experience can be traumatic and dangerous, and while law enforcement can respond and report stalking incidents, individuals must take action and control of their personal safety.

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Consider doing the following to protect yourself:
  • Obtain a temporary restraining order.

  • Park your vehicle off the street in a concealed location. Make your vehicle blend in as much as possible:  remove any stickers or license plate holders that distinguish it from others.

  • Move to an upper-floor unit.

  • Let your neighbors know of the situation and ask them to call the local police if they believe you’re in danger.

  • Turn off location services on your phone, computer, and other devices. Go into the browser settings and select “log out of all devices”.

  • Change your phone number and when getting a new one, ask your phone service provider to list your number as private.

  • Change the passwords of all your accounts.

  • Delete your social media accounts and any accounts you use to leave location-based reviews, like Yelp and Airbnb. If you decide not to delete your social media accounts, be sure the abuser’s account is blocked from accessing them.

  • Cut off communication with anyone who is in contact with your abuser, especially those who are on good terms with them.

  • Regularly search for your name and city online to see if your address has been published by a website. If so, contact them to remove it.

  • Change your patterns and schedule:  working hours, driving routes, grocery store, gym, and other locations that you routinely frequent.

  • Stay far away from any location that your abuser is known to frequent.

  • If you can, adopt a breed of dog that will help alert and protect you from danger.

  • Install cameras at entry points to your home and pointed at your vehicle. Remove any cameras your abuser might have access to.

  • Change the door locks, if needed.

  • Keep windows shut at all times and secure all window locks. Place a pole in the window frame to prevent it from opening.

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