Imagine receiving those messages from some anonymous account, and then going out into the world, knowing that every single person you pass by could be them (Picture: Gareth Fuller – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
No one should ever have to endure the relentless fear of stalking.
That feeling of dread every time you walk out the door, or switch on your phone, and wonder if they’re targeting you again.
That is not something to be shrugged off; it is a violation that robs victims of their freedom and traps them in a constant cycle of anxiety whenever they leave home or go on social media.
We all know that sense of unease you get at the end of a night out if you think someone’s following you.
If you’ve never experienced stalking, that’s what it’s like all the time. Every day on the way to work. Every evening on the way home. Knowing that your stalker is there.
What is stalking?
Stalking is a crime that occurs when someone harasses or targets another person they have an obsession with more than once. Their repeated behaviour and actions can leave the victim feeling scared or distressed. Stalking can happen both on and offline.
Examples of stalking include following someone, spying on them, stealing someone’s identity, adding tracking software to someone’s devices, and going uninvited into someone’s home.
Stalking and harassment are similar offences and the police can help you regardless of if you are unsure of whether what you have been experiencing is stalking.
For victims of online stalking, it’s just as bad. The constant stream of abusive or threatening messages. Where they last saw you. What they want to do to you. How they plan to hurt you.
Imagine receiving those messages from some anonymous account, and then going out into the world, knowing that every single person you pass by could be them. And that one of them probably is.
Nicola has campaigned for people in her situation to have the Right to Know the identity of their stalkers (Picture: Jeff Spicer/WireImage)
That’s exactly what happened to Nicola Thorp, the former Coronation Street actress. But when the police eventually arrested her stalker, they told Nicola they weren’t allowed to reveal his identity.
She had to continue living with that fear until she finally saw him in court. That is not right, and it was not an isolated case.
Nicola has campaigned for people in her situation to have the Right to Know the identity of their stalkers. We promised her in our manifesto that we’d deliver and now we’re doing so.
This Is Not Right
On November 25, 2024 Metro launched This Is Not Right, a year-long campaign to address the relentless epidemic of violence against women.
Throughout the year we will be bringing you stories that shine a light on the sheer scale of the epidemic.
With the help of our partners at Women’s Aid, This Is Not Right aims to engage and empower our readers on the issue …read more
Source:: Metro