I got a call from a woman asking advice concerning her suspicions of being stalked by a man she didn’t know. That immediately got my attention!
Now its one thing to be stalked by someone you know, its another thing entirely to be stalked by someone you don’t know. That is way more serious!
Stalking is broadly defined as “unwanted or obsessive attention by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them.”
After a few email exchanges l determined she worked at HOOTERS bar an restaurant, where women dress provocatively in shot pants and low cut tank tops to flaunt boobs and butts before men – and they wonder why they draw all this extra attention to themselves?
See website to see what I’m talking about: https://www.hooters.com/Home/Default.aspx
I told her to quit her job, dress more modestly, don’t wear so much make up, especially the red lipstick and perfume and change the security settings on her Facebook to friends only, as well change her profile picture (which shows her stretch out on a couch on red silk sheets wearing only panties and covering her breasts with her nothing but her hands) and she should be OK.
Needless to say she didn’t like that advice too much and she called me every name in the book! All I’m trying to do was help her?
Quite frankly I’m more concerned about children be stalked online than grown women, who dress provocatively in the first place (see article: Children being stalked online using geo-tagging by predatorshttps://groundreport.com/children-being-stalked-online-using-geo-tagging-by-predators/).
But, that situation aside its estimated that eight percent of American women will be stalked at some point in their life. That’s roughly 1.4 million women every year!
According to the FBI, a woman is more likely to be stalked following some kind of breakup in a relationship, or following a period of marital separation, usually by someone she knows or had prior dealings with. Oddly enough According to one study, women often target other women, whereas men generally stalk women only (source: article: Psychiatry online women who stalk http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=175218).
Admittedly stalking today is quite sophisticated (see article: GPS: A Stalker’s Best Friend http://www.techhive.com/article/188274/gps_a_stalkers_best_friend.html).
My best advice is develop what they call “situational awareness.”
Every place, whether it be urban, suburban or rural small town has its own routine or rhythm. Sometimes called a baseline of regular activity.This also applies to people and their everyday lives.
Step one: Be alert
In any kind of surveillance detection is to be alert to any and all changes in that baseline of regular activity.
In a city, if your a woman you want to watch out for someone loitering in a hallway for example. Or someone watching you intently from across the room or following you at a distance to your car.
Try to make a mental note in your mind to see if that person is seen by you at different places, like at your work for example, or at the grocery store you frequent a lot. Better yet try to snap the guys picture with your cell phone, noting the date and time. The idea is to try and establish a pattern here.
If your a woman, be on the lookout for unexpected flower deliveries with no signed card, phone calls to your work or home where that person hangs up on you, or is calling from a blocked line.
What to do if your being followed
Be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. While driving look back in your rear view mirror and see if you notice the same vehicle following you for what seems to be too long.
In most cases stalkers, terrorists, kidnappers repeat their observations for days or weeks, that includes following you around in their car or vehicle. What they could be doing is establishing your routine.
Most human beings are creatures of habit. They get up at the same time, everyday, they leave their homes or apartments at the same time every morning and travel to work along the same route…They also get coffee or a newspaper at the same place, shop at the same grocery store park in the same spot…l could go on but you get the idea.
Its important to change your routine around, to disrupt anyone’s attempt to establish your baseline of routine. If you leave your apartment for work at the same time everyday, leave an hour early or an hour late. Walk your dog at different times …etc.
Remember to alter your routine!
If you need to determine if someone is following you, there are a number of ways to do that. For example if you suspect someone is following you in a car, make a series of right or left turns, preferably in a box pattern that bring you back to your original spot. No causal driver would still be behind you in such a case.
If you determine you are being followed,feign that you are unaware of that and continue as normal along your established route. Notify the police of the situation, describe the vehicle, the person or persons involved in as much detail as possible and coordinate with the police to lead that potential stalker or kidnapper to a specific point where they can intercept them.
If you can’t do that drive directly to your local police station most stalkers won’t follow you there.
At home always lock your doors and windows, and never answer your door without first establishing the identity of that person knocking.
If you live in a gated community notify the security guard on duty at the time, that also goes for when your at work.
At work have a male coworker or security guard follow you or watch you go to your car.
Once inside your vehicle “lock the doors and roll up your windows.”
If approached by someone you don’t know don’t get out of your vehicle to talk to that person but slightly roll down your window a little bit to communicate with that person…leave your keys in the ignition, your engine running and foot on the brake.
See video: How to deal with stalkers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRrkUy9KJ48
See video: Greta Van Susteren opens up about being stalked http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzLSCAvoAGI
See video: Being stalked through your cell phone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMu8R7eFpug